Silence of the Air
by Crying Sorceress
Summary: Updated! If only there were stars, a dark sky, your soft voice and maybe the old tree. You know, it's always been you. After holding hope for the both of them for 5 years, Kai sees her again. But he's not so sure who she is anymore. KaiOC. Not a MarySue.
1. Memory 1: TwentyOne Candles

**Author's Notes: **I'm not sure on the title of this fic yet. Anyway, here goes.

**If you haven't read the prequel, please do**. Yes, I know that it's long but I think that it's fast to read (and even reread). The prequel (Safe, In Your Arms) contains info that you need to know to understand this. I'll refer back to it constantly.

Stay awake with the sound of my voice  
I'm restless from the **_silence in the air_**  
I want to be somewhere I can see the roads  
A place where every time you breathe **a wish comes true**  
I want to be where _love is real_  
And **memories of distant days** come to life again

Far past these roads there is a place  
Where all of **our precious dreams remain**  
Someday I know  
I'll find a way  
**To keep myself from holding on**.

_-**The Longest Story** by Daphne Loves Derby_

Go listen to the song. It suits this story and the prequel.

* * *

_The past doesn't come and haunt you willingly._

_It's you to let it haunt you._

* * *

**Silence of the Air**

**Memory 1: Twenty-One Candles**

* * *

The cotton candy tasted bland against his tongue. He flicked it and felt the mildly sweet cloud-like sweet melt slowly. Looking up to the cloudy skies, he half-absently ignored her pouts and whines.

_Do you see the same skies right now?_

As he felt something press against his chest, he jerked his head down and groaned. That was a bad habit of his. He groaned at everything, even though he wasn't always _that _annoyed. Sure, he was a grouchy little young man. But he wasn't that little anymore so, somehow, suddenly, everything that he did was justified. It was surprising how when you're over twenty-years old, everyone began to respect you _lots_ better.

"Ow, sorry Kai."

He sighed. His fingers, already sticky from the cotton candy, traced over his wrinkleless white shirt, feeling the diet coke that just spilled on it.

The worst thing was... he wouldn't even be in this situation if he didn't come back. The only reason that he did was because he pitied his past self. He thought that... if he relived some of his life, here, in Bakuten, then maybe his high school life would be forgotten.

The years of beyblading and playing were long gone. He had a job now, something far more serious and important. Something that made others respect him, Kai Hiwatari, not for his beyblading skills, even though he never minded taking his Dranzer for a spin or two, nor his last name, even though he could have just taken a much higher and potentially greater job in his mother's company. He wanted everything to himself. He wanted to rule the world, not with iron fists but just with a wish to survive on his own.

It was so ironic. But yet, he loved it.

He loved the power. How even his old friends, Tyson, Max, Ray, Tala, would all look at him and smile—or in Tala's case, smirk. They were still "_the_ mob" of world-class beybladers. Kai was pretty sure that if they challenged the current world champions, they'd win.

His ego became so much more dominant.

And the sad thing was, he couldn't decide if that was good or bad.

"Kai? You alright there?"

She pulled on his sleeve affectionately and he nodded back. He wasn't _lost _in his thoughts—he never admitted it—he was just... thinking. Kai Hiwatari would _never_ be lost, now that he had his directions and he knew perfectly where to go.

But in reality, he knew nothing. **Nothing **at all.

* * *

Several arms shot up in the air, waving at him. She nudged him to reply back. Without much contemplating, he did.

It was them.

"Yo, Kai! Where _have_ you been?" the Chinese boy grinned as he spoke.

The truth was, no one changed much. Except for Kai. He was always the different one, even when _she _was there.

"You see a pretty ex-schoolmate and you just run off!" the red head shook his head in mocking disagreement. "Haven't you been taught better, Kai?"

"Oh, shut up."

"Why, hello, grouchy monster," the former world champ rolled his eyes.

"So was Kai mean to you, Janet?" a young woman with bright orange hair laughed.

It was definitely them. Sitting in front of him was Tyson, the world champion that he always wanted to challenge in battle. On his right was the 'pretty ex-school mate', one that he has never noticed before, one that told him that she liked him many times. It was Janet, the innocent one. Well, it was always the innocent ones.

"No," Janet gave a blush, her cheeks matched her blaze-like hair, "it was fun. I'm so sorry about the spill though—"

"You never change," the orange-haired girl giggled, "it's alright."

It was weird how everything worked out, even though he wasn't in the picture. His friends, yes, friends all settled themselves, even before him. It was so funny... because they all thought that Kai would be the first to lose his virginity (or, well, they called it 'it' back then), to get engaged, to get married, to buy a house and to bet on stocks. But Kai Hiwatari did nothing of that.

The only ones married were Ray and Aurora, like he _so _didn't see that one coming. They were planning it since _she _was gone, seeing as they almost lost each other in the final battles. Great shocks helped relationships. But in Kai's case, it was devastating. He almost lost his soul and yearning to live on. It was because of _her_.

In a way, he hated _her_.

"You done with all the soul-searching?" Max laughed.

The blonde boy, too, was in a better situation than him. Max Tate was engaged; he happily proposed to the orange haired girl, Emily, just a month before. Sometime Kai would feel consumed by jealousy, while other times, he would laugh at others and enjoy his freedom as a single man while he had it.

Yeah, while he had it. Janet _was _a pretty girl. She certainly meets his levels.

"Where are the others anyway?" the Chinese flicked his braided hair over his back and sat with Aurora on his lap, admiring the diamond ring on her finger.

"I don't know the others," Tala groaned in response, "I wouldn't want them here anyway."

"Yeah, he's right. I don't remember anyone's name anyway," the red head's girlfriend, Shayna Tanaka added.

They spotted several girls waving at them so they waved back, although they had no clue who they were. The Bladebreakers group was still much known. After _she _left, Ray had officially quit the team. After all the drama with having a new teammate, they decided to live on with their lives. Beyblading was fun, sure, while they were in high school but carrying on the pressure of playing at world champion level was too hard. Even Tyson was overwhelmed with the everyday workload of school.

For Kai... he just blamed _her_.

Because personally, he **loved **beyblading, more than anything in the world. It was his chosen profession, his dream. But now, he isn't _Kai Hiwatari, the Bladebreaker_, he is _Mr. Hiwatari, official government employer, head investigator, captain_, whatever they called him.

"Are you guys still up for a party?" the brunette girl Namiko spoke up.

"Hell, yes!"

"Are you kidding me? We're fucking exhausted!" another voice complained.

Kai ignored the wave of whines and cheers, focusing on trying to get the stickiness off of his shirt. That is, until someone pulled on his sleeve.

"I want to go."

He sighed.

"Fine."

"Thanks."

"It's not for you," he retorted, "I _want _to go." He never wanted to do other favors.

"Hey, Kai, stop being so rude, alright?" Ray cut in, elbowing him. "You're taking Janet there. It's a date."

"And you're deciding for me...because?"

The Chinese boy patted Kai on the shoulder and shook his head. No words were said and the awkward silence hung again. _I knew this reunion wasn't a good idea_. It was their fifth year reunion after high school. It was surprising that five years had past, but sometimes, he felt like nothing changed at all. He was still the lone wolf, fooling himself with lies.

"It's a quiet party anyway," Namiko continued. She shifted in his seat and clasped her hands together. "I guess that it's time to announce the big secret."

"Secret?" a voice piped in, he couldn't tell who it was... not that he cared.

"I am getting," Namiko paused and winked, "promoted," she grinned, "to head project manager."

There was a round of applause that he "forgot" to join.

"Now I'm definitely going to the party. Who's going to be there? Rich guys?" the pink haired girl, Mariah, smirked.

"Yes, unfortunately," Namiko rolled her eyes. "You better not hog every bachelor."

"Oh... don't worry about it."

Lost between the chatters and murmurs, he closed his eyes, feeling the auras around him. At least he hasn't lost Dranzer yet.

But it felt so different that day, like someone else was there, watching him from behind some bush or thick tree trunk. But the strangest thing was, he didn't mind it. He didn't feel violated, in fact, everything felt just right.

Before he knew it, the sun rolled down the clouds and fell into the faraway sea. They sat on the beach. He couldn't remember how he got there, or why he had Janet in his arms. She fitted perfectly in his arms, her petite form leaning against his chest. It felt different. He let his fingers tangle in her hair and he smelled her scent. It was cherry blossom, probably from some expensive store. Janet sure had a way with makeup. Her flaming hair rested near his chin and her soft breathing could be heard. The sea rolled softly onto the beach and backed away. He wanted to back away too.

Luckily for him, Tala, who sat beside him, tapped on his shoulder and told him to get up.

"Are you going, Janet?" Shayna spoke, her voice singing like always.

The girl shook her head in response. "I've already miss enough work. I need to make some up."

"Oh that's too bad," Shayna held Tala's hand held in hers. "We'll tell you the highlights later then."

"Come on," Tala urged, especially at Kai, already walking away. "you can't wait here forever. One of us needs to celebrate." He looked at the black limo parked on the roadside.

The three trotted to the expensive car. Kai's friendship with Tala lasted longer than he expected. His bond with Ray, however, diminished as the Chinese boy was too preoccupied with his marriage. _Things fall apart_.

"We're going to be late if you buttheads don't follow along," Emily groaned.

"Butthead?" Max arched an eyebrow.

The car ride was noisy, not like before where he could hear _her _rant and rant more. It was a chaotic noisy where everyone tried to speak louder than the other. He felt alone. Namiko sat in the front, as person of honor of the day, and the rest of them were all snuggling against each other. Ray's lips couldn't been kept away from Aurora's cheeks for long. Max and Emily were enveloped in a sweet world of fantasy. And Tala, his best friend, was pulling his girlfriend tighter and tighter in his arms. Only Mariah wasn't in anyone's arms. But the pink girl was gossiping loudly on her cellphone.

He felt so ignored.

Well, he was ignored.

He couldn't tell when the door was opened. Slowly, he came out of his world of thoughts and hit himself on the forehead. _What is wrong with me?_ He couldn't even remember what he thought about a second ago. Almost tripping over the stairs, he managed to climb several steps before leaning against a tall column that supported the ceiling. He felt like the world was about to collapse on him. But when he saw his own reflection on the marble floor, he worried about the present first. He looked more than horrible.

His blue sharks remained on his cheeks, untouched and never changed. They were a mark of his past, one that he couldn't let go yet. His slate and blue hair was of the same length, messy and never gelled back. The auburn tie that he wore accented his eyes. He ran his fingers through his hair, catching a glimpse of the diamond studded watch on his wrist. It was almost eight o'clock already.

Finally, the doors opened to the ballroom. A magnificent crystal chandelier came in sight with traditional Western decorations. The room still contained the fresh smell of paint. Light reflected off of the polished tables and the giant black piano that stood in the corner.

"Is this a hotel?" Shayna explained. "This is a palace!"

"Well, thanks," Namiko chuckled, "it's the opening of my new _little _successful project."

"Little? My ass," Mariah gasped as she twirled around in her sleek and silky white dress. "I can see all the rich guys now."

"Er," Namiko gave a faint blush, "let's... just go."

"No wonder you got promoted...," Aurora murmured.

Ray's wife. Yes, Aurora. She had changed a lot. Going from a frozen solid and quiet girl and slowly melted into a mellow and comfortable woman. Nevertheless, she was still quiet and never lost her shine. At least her final battle brought her something good.

For Kai's long lost girl-_friend_, however, it wasn't that pleasant.

Some waiters led them to their tables, situated in the middle of the room.

"Why are there so many people?"

But the question was left unanswered as the lights were turned off.

A sudden blinding spotlight shone on the stage that stood beside their tables. A man in his late forties rose to the microphone and smiled towards the crowd.

"Welcome!" he spoke in English with a weakly blended European-American accent. Kai guessed that he was a businessman. "It is our pleasure to announce the opening of this hotel! This is our second project in Japan and it was a great success thanks to Miss Namiko Hunter," he paused as he heard many applaud. "Tonight will be a night of pure enjoyment. Now, all the food's on us. Enjoy yourself!"

A soft music enveloped the room. Everyone went to the side, on a beautifully tiled dance floor, and began to dance away. That is, everyone except for him.

He just sat there, gloomy as always and wondered if any of this would change. _Why am I doing this again?_

A tap woke him up from his nightmare. He jerked his head up and groaned. "What?" he snapped.

"Why are you alone?"

It was some girl. She looked about the same age as him. Her black gown trailed past her knees, looking chic and playful. A small smirk hung on her face as she extended her arm to him.

"Want to dance?"

"Aren't males supposed to ask females?"

She withdrew her arm immediately and crossed them in front of her chest.

"What?" he snapped.

"Aren't you going to ask me to dance?" she answered back immediately.

"I don't want to dance. So don't hang around me."  
"You think that the world revolves around you, don't you? You think that you're some rich guy—with a Rolex watch," she looked down to his black sleeves. "Well, tell you what. Everyone here today is even richer than you. Don't try to argue with me."

"I don't care about money."

"Liar."

He wanted to choke. "You're calling me a liar? You don't even know me!"

"So?" she arched her eyebrows. "You dress fancily and you try to look hot. Well, good job, boy, 'cause you caught my eyes. Now dance with me before I take back my offer."

She began to seriously annoy him.

"I'm not dancing," he repeated.

He expected her to leave, or something. But she didn't. She dragged a chair and sat on it. A smile graced her lips as she looked at him in the eyes. "You're playing hard, aren't you?"

"What are you, a slut?"

She looked horribly hurt. "You're so rude! And there I thought that you just had a major ego."

He turned his back to her, facing his food, hiding his shame. He insulted a girl, again. And this girl sure knew how to make him feel guilty.

"Don't try to hide," she seemed to laugh. "I'm not going anywhere. I hate this place anyway."

"Then why are you here?" he questioned, still deciding which piece of lettuce to eat first.

"Why are you here?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"Because I don't want to answer you," she shrugged.

Her palm crept up to his shoulder and he shivered at her cold touch. "Turn around and let me see your face."

"No," he felt violated. Why did this girl care? They were at a damn party! And besides, he just started feeling comfortable with Janet. She was obviously flirting.

"Fine," she whined. "Guys all act the same. Gabriel was like that too."

He knew it; she wanted to start a conversation with him about her last breakup with _Gabby_ or whatever she'd call her ex-boyfriend. Well, he wouldn't let that happen.

"Can you please, _please_, go away?"

Before she could answer, the lights went out again. The same man that spoke an hour before stood on stage with a cup of rich red wine.

_Lucky me..._

"My dear friends," he started, sounding like a perfect gentleman.

"God, he should stop smiling like that .It makes him look absolutely stupid and his expensive tie makes him look like an old wannabe Bill Gates," the girl beside him complained. Kai rolled his eyes.

"Do you even know him? He owns this place. You shouldn't criticize him if you don't know him," he commented. Did she know who he was? How could someone be so rude? Ruder than him? If that was possible.

"You just recognize all the rich ones," the black-haired girl rolled her eyes. "How old are you anyway?"

"Twenty three."

"Sweet."

"And I introduce you to my beautiful daughter!"

But no one was on the stage except for him.

The spotlight moved slowly ...towards him. "What the fuck?" He could hear the drum roll in his heart.

The girl beside him suddenly stood up quickly. She placed her arms on her sides and balanced herself on her high heels. "Guess that's me." And walked innocently to the stage.

She was the daughter? She was insulting her own father?

"She'll sing a song for us," the man on the stage continued, chuckling.

Kai merely sweat dropped. How childish! Is this what rich people call jokes?

She stepped to the microphone and shot her dad a playful glare.

"He was just kidding, you guys," she giggled. "I can't sing. If I did, I bet that you'll live 5 years shorter." A wave of laughter rang through the quiet room. "The night will go on but now the auctions are open. Thanks to the many companies who donated prizes and such. Please do look around and enjoy yourself. Have a great rest of the night!" she grinned, "oh, and the orchestra do take requested songs. Have fun, you folks!"

She gave a courteous wave, suddenly making her look much more sophisticated. He could hear some echo of her voice left in the room, or maybe it was just in his head. He leaned back in his chair, looking for Tala. Within seconds, he found his friend walking towards him. Shayna was at the buffet tables, getting her serving of flaky pastries.

"You could go with her," Tala's eyes indicated the girl on the stage. "She looks like your type. Dark hair, and all."

"No...," he declined. "Fuck, no."

"Are you sure?"

_No, I'm not sure. _He groaned. _But I can't just dump Janet in the river_.

The old man was at the microphone again.

"And may I add a happy birthday to my daughter who is officially twenty-one today!"

People cheered and applauded. A prettily dressed blonde woman came to the stage with a big box in her arms, barely able to support it.

"Happy birthday, hon."

"Thanks mom," the girl smiled at the blonde lady. "And dad," she looked back to the stage.

The innocent white box was tied with curly red ribbons, the curls still bouncing. With her perfectly thin fingers, the blonde woman untied the knot. Once the ribbons were gone, the box seemed to have opened itself to reveal a white cake. The circumference was decorated with chocolate roses, beautiful, simple and elegant. Little candles were placed around the cake, the woman lit the candles carefully and slowly, leaving Kai enough time to observe the cake. At the center, red icing spilled in a very creative way.

Red icing that spelled four guilty words:

'_Happy Birthday Laura Fan!_'

He suffocated.

His head screamed hard.

How?

Why was he blind?

Why didn't he realize?

Why didn't he recognize her?

Why didn't she recognize him?

Why has she changed so much?

He looked at her as she took a knife innocently and cut the white and pure cake up into little pieces. This time, for sure, he was going to eat the cake. It was a part of _her_. And he was ready to get her back. Even though she stood right beside him, her delicate hair rippling over her naked shoulders, he knew that she wasn't her old self anymore. He could see the change, what the years have done to her. She did far more than just change on the outside.

Now he could see it, her forest green eyes sparkling with happiness and enthusiasm, not with perplexity and apathy like before.

So she did survive the final battle.

And it seemed that she was in a much better shape than he was.

It seemed like his time was done once again in Bakuten. He had seen her again, not able to confront her, but it was enough. But something told him to stay, to watch the drama, to hear her sing, to hear her soft moans, to feel her in his arms, where she belonged and where she should have stayed. He remembered how even though she didn't fit perfectly in his arms like the way Janet did but it felt so right. He felt unbreakable. And she didn't smell like cherry blossom, she never wore the perfume that he gave her. She smelled like herself, fresh with the little taint of sweat. She was a natural, free-spirited person and he was a lonely and conservative one. They belonged together; they balanced each other like yin and yang.

But she was with her family, and she never looked happier. A real smile hung on her face. Her timidity seemed to have disappeared and her free-spirit conquered.

Finally _Forrest _Fan blew her candles, one by one, one wish after another.

He hoped that, at least in one of those twenty-one candlelight wishes, there was something about him. About _them_.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **How was it? Sorry, I really had to introduce the characters again as some of them changed. Any questions? Please ask. Once again, if you didn't read the prequel yet, please do. It's just two clicks and a scroll down away :) I'll try to have the next chapter up by sometime in May.

Did you get the symbolism of the white cake? If you did, good job.


	2. Memory 2: Foretold

_There is always one day _

_where__the student becomes more capable than the master._

_

* * *

_

**Silence of the Air**

**Memory 2: Foretold**

**

* * *

**

He felt absolutely uncomfortable in his seat so he shifted and look around, forgetting that Tala stood right behind him.

His friend, after seeing him panicking and swinging his head back and forth, became rather annoyed. "What are you doing?"

"Tala..."

"What?"

"Look at the cake."

The red head did, finding nothing unusual about it.

"Look at the name," Kai continued. "You can't be that stupid, Tala."

"Hey, watch it," Tala groaned. He peered over and paused. "Fan? A relative of that girl, perhaps?"

"No."

Tala's eyes widened and he took a look at the dark haired girl who began distributing pieces of cake to the people around her. Quickly he turned his head and saw his girlfriend, Shayna. He called for her.

"You recognize her?" Tala asked.

"Who?" Shayna glanced around, finally her eyes landed on the figure near the stage.

"_Her_."

"Oh. My. Fucking. God!"

The room fell silent at the sudden and loud outburst. Laura Fan suddenly paused and looked at the person who spoke, squinting her eyes and then looked away. She tucked some uncoiffed hair behind her ear and took another piece of the cake and gave it to Kai.

He didn't take it at first. He was scared, somewhat. But he was glad that at least she noticed him a little bit after their _misunderstanding_.

Shayna gulped and hid herself behind Tala with her cheeks tainted with red embarrassment. But she couldn't hide her curiosity away.

Was that Forrest?

His friends all crowded around them, Ray and Aurora practically ran over to the table, wondering what was wrong. Tyson merely tripped on the tablecloth hanging from the table but luckily caught himself on the chair. For Max and Emily... however, it was a different story. They went straight for the cake, not realizing how delicious it looked before. They looked at Laura Fan in the eyes and thanked her quietly for the cake, never noticing anything wrong.

The first one to outburst again was Mariah.

"Forrest-chan!"

Silence.

Crickets.

Ignore.

"Forrest?"

The birthday girl gave a piece of cake to Shayna and smiled slightly, ignoring how awkward the ambience of the room was. The orchestra still played some symphony in the background. Slowly, the chatters started again and she took a sigh.

"Forrest Fan?"

"Laura Fan, you mean?"

"No...," Mariah turned around and arched an eyebrow at Kai. "You _are _Forrest," she confirmed.

"Maybe you've mistaken me for someone else," Laura giggled, "want a piece?"

An innocent piece of vanilla cake popped in front of Mariah's face. The girl couldn't dare to not accept. Sighing, she stepped away.

"But she is...," she murmured. "Damn."

Mariah took a seat at the table, putting her full weight on the chair. She was embarrassed to scream like that in front of the people and recognizing the wrong person! Well...at least she wasn't the only one who did it. She grumpily stuffed the fine piece of cake in her mouth and pouted. Silently, she nudged Ray, who sat beside her.

"Isn't she—?"

"Kai thinks so too," Ray cut in.

"And I do too," Shayna piped. "Her looks didn't' change. Well, she certainly looks more mature. It looks like she got plastic surgery or something," the girl wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I don't believe that's _our _Forrest."

"I don't either," Namiko grunted, "but..." her voice trailed off.

"But what!" Kai yelled.

They were all surprised. Kai Hiwatari never lost his cool. Never. Ever. Never. Ever.

"She is David Godenot's daughter and—"

"Godenot, did you say?" Kai's eyes widened as he spoke. "Shit, it is _her_."

They were like a mob, huddling over the table and having an intense conversation. Ray glanced at the girl, handing out the last pieces of cake left, and sighed.

"I can't believe this."

"Neither can I, but it's true," Namiko confirmed. "I never saw the connection before. God, I'm stupid. I've working in this company for two years."

"Hey, it's okay. I mean, we never expected her to change that much," Max added.

They all gave a side glance to the girl. Her petite body didn't seem to hold in her curves too well. She was finely shaped, perhaps too fine for her own good and her raven hair was so big in volume that it bounced when she did a slight movement. They all the turned back and sat down, muttering incomprehensible things to each other.

- - -

Suddenly, Kai felt a tap on his shoulder and he lifted his head lazily. "What?"

"You guys are a big lot. Want the last piece of cake?" It was her, smiling like nothing's wrong.

Kai gulped hard, his Adam's apple rose and fell as he tried to breathe quietly.

"Forrest, it's _us_," Ray tried again.

"The Bladebreakers," Tyson added.

"Don't call me that. I told you, my name is Laura," she snapped back, her polite smile faded. "No cake for you then."

And she walked away.

"How?" Aurora spoke. "I couldn't have so much damage to her...," the Chinese girl looked down and bit her bottom lip in grief.

"Hey, it's not your fault. Maybe she just needs time to remember. It's quite a shock, I mean," Ray assured his wife even though he knew that both he and Aurora were to blame.

The mob fell silent. Each their seat around the table and stared at their piece of cake, each with a little bit of red icing at the tip. Without her in their circle, the pieces wouldn't fit together like a puzzle. There would be a piece missing, a forgotten piece.

Somehow Kai wasn't surprised at this. He hated to admit it but he knew something like that would happen. Remembering his last conversations with Forrest's cousin, Jacqueline, he recalled that Forrest did indeed knock her head badly. Maybe she—

"God, I can't figure this out," Namiko groaned.

"Actually," came a voice.

Kai turned around, only to see a familiar but distant figure. It was an old woman, her face scarred with pains from over the years. Her grey hair was in abundance. One could see that she used to be a delicate and beautiful lady but wrinkles conquered her beauty.

"Theresa," Kai acknowledged, remembering the name.

"I'm sorry about all this," the old woman answered. "Miss Laura has forgotten."

"What!"

"She has amnesia."

This time, it wasn't just Kai who was worried. From everyone's expressions, Kai could tell how much they all loved the _old_ Forrest.

"My apologies," Theresa continued. "I could never get a chance to contact you. Mister Godenot has forbidden me to contact Japan at all. And for some time, I respected that choice."

The old lady took a chair and sat on it. Kai and Ray politely scooted over to give Theresa space and comfort to tell her tale.

"Laura arrived in the U.S. in a horrible state and we were devastated. She was sent into the hospital the second she landed and was brought into the emergency room. The hospital became her home for a year, tearing her away from the outside world. She was in a coma for over nine months. All her food was injected and it was painful to watch someone live on like that."

Theresa did not cry at her story. Kai understood how the past was past and even this old sincere lady learned to move on.

Maybe he should have too.

_No. Not yet._

"One day, she woke up. I was the only one by her side. She smiled at me, called my name softly. Her throat was dry and she had lost everything that she had, even her voice seemed different. Her body was deformed, her head stitched, her cheeks never regained their rosy color and worse was, she never talked about Japan. I remember asking her if she wanted to go back to Japan but she just stared at me and tilted her head. She asked me if I was talking about '_Japan, Asia, Tokyo, Japan_'. I nodded but realized that she didn't want to go back after all. The subject was never brought up again. Mister Godenot was extremely happy to get his daughter back and began to hide everything that related to her voyage to Japan. Magazine articles were hidden, everything related to beyblading was put away and phone calls from Jacqueline were blocked and unanswered. At first, I agreed because Miss Laura seemed so happy when she woke up. She never smiled like that. She told me that she had a good and long dream filled with warm feelings and hugs and friendships and waterfalls and wishes upon stars."

Kai looked away. _Wishes upon stars?_ He remembered them sitting under the big tree in his yard with her by his side. He could feel the material of her clothes on tip of his fingers. He could hear her heartbeat pounding when he spoke to her, her heavy breaths that appeared like smoke under the starlight.

But it was just a memory. He looked at her now, in the present, seeing her stroll to her father, smiling and speaking politely like she has always been. In a way, she has changed so much but when he looked at her again, she remained the same, as the Forrest that he knew. Maybe she had gotten plastic surgery to regain her outside shine but inside, he could still see her. Her heart was smiling for her, for him, for them. She was truly happy, maybe happier than she was in Japan.

Jacqueline was right, and he hated to admit it because he needed her all this time. **But she didn't.** She didn't even think about him at all during the past five years while he was hung over her.

"It wasn't until three years ago that we began to contact Japan again. There was a turn over in the economy. Japan had risen again and the little hotel that we had here was in full business. Mister Godenot thought that wit was a perfect opportunity. Therefore he hired workers, and he came upon you, Namiko Hunter," Theresa looked at the girl, as if she was thankful, "and then I remembered you. You were part of Miss _Forrest_'s circle of friends. So I encouraged the project. I begged them to build it faster, knowing that Miss Fan would come to the opening and that you, all, would come too," her eyes sparkled. "I thought that she would remember. And I know that she will. I never gave up in her; I knew and still know that she will recover her memory sometime. The doctors never said that her brain was damaged very badly; she only had minor injuries on the inside," she paused and sighed, deciding to change the conversation a little. "She never got the chance to finish school so she got a job in her father's company. But we're all glad that she's alright. And she's very settled now. She even had a fian—"

"Who is she, Theresa? Are you gossiping without me?" An unwanted interruption.

They were caught red handed.

Kai closed his eyes as he recognized the voice. He wanted Forrest to sit beside him and talk with him but he also wanted Theresa to finish her sentence. He felt very suspicious about it.

"Miss Laura! Of course not," Theresa merely gave a careful smile. "Well, I should let you speak with your guests." The old lady carefully excused herself giving the group a warning look.

Laura, or Forrest, gave a strange look to Namiko but then smiled.

"Congratulations on your excellent project. The remodeling was perfect," she complimented.

"Thank you," Namiko replied, matching the girl's smile. "Why don't you sit down? She suggested it, giving a warning look to Kai, telling him not to mess it up. "There's a seat there."

Laura glanced at Theresa's seat, situated between Kai and Ray, and took it. She folded her dress nicely as she sat down. Her fingers carefully trailed over the tablecloth. She grinned proudly.

"So," she paused, "what's up?"

Her voice sounded fake. If Kai hadn't known her, he would immediately judge her as _plastic_, and _slutty_.

"How long are you going to stay here?" Shayna asked, acting as normal as she could.

"Oh, I'm leaving tomorrow for Otaru."

"Otaru?"

"I'm visiting the cemetery," she looked down.

"Where your mom is buried?" Emily asked with instinct.

"How do you know?"

They flinched at the same time.

"Uh, that lady just told us," Mariah smiled awkwardly as she spoke. Laura gave a slight nod but gave a suspicious look.

The group sighed in relief.

"So, what were you talking about with Theresa?" Laura continued.

"A girl," Kai answered, his voice muffled.

She arched an eyebrow at him and smirked like she used to. "Oh really? Who?"

"Someone who we used to know," Namiko replied quietly.

They all felt so awkward and Forrest could tell. The black haired girl shifted in her seat uncomfortably and her smirk faded into a frown.

"Do share," she insisted. "Was she your girl?" she looked around to each of the guys. "Did she die?"

"Yeah...," Kai answered softly, his tone low and mysteriously mellow. "She _was_ **_my_** girl. But she didn't die," he paused and looked at her in the eyes, "at least, I don't think that she has."

Her eyes didn't widen in remembrance.

She didn't look surprised or suspicious.

She didn't get that he was hinting at her.

She just smiled sympathetically and patted his hair affectionately.

Her touch on his messy hair was even enough to calm his senses.

"I understand," _Forrest _looked around but didn't smile too much this time. When she didn't smile, her old self seem to shine. "We understand."

But really, it was he who came to understood that...he still had a chance to make her remember. Her head wasn't damaged badly, Theresa said, she only had minor injuries.

Maybe it could all come back. Maybe he wouldn't have to leave Bakuten without her by his side.

He could feel the strings of violins and cellos vibrating. He could hear the change of every pitch and the steps of the dancers waltzing to their content. He could see his friends' expressions change as their started a conversation with her. He could smell her scent, the one with the small taint of sweat but he realized that it was so faint, so far away.

But really, he could hear the silence of the air. The silence of the past.

She overcame. He didn't.

He was the master, yet he fell from his throne. Now he is a slave to his memories, to her memories.

He had to make her remember. He had to take the burdens off of his shoulder.

He needs to forget it, forgive it, return it.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **I do try to hint at things when I use "Forrest" and when I use "Laura". :) If you noticed that, you're a good reader :D 

Bahhh, I need more action :( Too much sappy and sad romance makes me sad.

Anyway, I'M DONE WITH AP's! I'm so happy :) I'll try to update before June but I can't guarantee much.

Thanks for those who reviewed and added this to favorites/alert!

Remember to review and tell me what you liked and disliked!


	3. Memory 3: Sealed

_A promise,_

_Sealed with a kiss._

* * *

**Silence of the Air**

**Memory 3: Sealed**

* * *

"You know that you don't have to leave so early."

"Would you rather stay with us, the coolest people that you'll ever meet, or by yourself?"

She gave a small smile and shook her head. "I'm sorry but I thought that we just met." The others merely stared back at her. "There's someone in Otaru waiting for me. It'd be only appropriate if I follow my prior arrangements." She put a businesswoman like smile, 'deal or no deal?'

She was lying, and she became better at it.

He tilted his head and continued staring at the side of her head. His vision was unfocused and he couldn't tell how late it was. Pondering about the ways that he could make her remember, he played with his diamond-studded watch. Suddenly, he squinted and something slapped him. He glanced at the polished exterior of the Rolex and smiled. It was past one o'clock in the morning and he knew her _weaknesses_.

He eyed Tala intentionally.

"Is your club open?"

Tala choked. "Y-yes," the red head returned a suspicious stare to Kai, "why?"

Forrest's eyes lightened up and flashed contentment. "You own a _club_?"

They didn't waste another second before both Forrest and Mariah jumped out of their seats at the same time. It was surprising how the new Forrest –Laura—got along so well with Mariah. Their personalities never matched before. Mariah was too into 'pink' and Forrest found 'pink' to be a mildly... overrated and _scary _color. But people change. The rosy pink lip gloss that she wore matched Mariah's. The girls giggled in unison, ignoring the looks coming from others. They eyed the door and winked at each other, linked their arms and waltzed out.

Kai frowned to himself, confused and refusing to believe what he just saw. He looked at Shayna and Namiko, _Forrest_'s best friends and could see them looking down. He grunted in annoyance. Bakuten brought _way _too much drama.

* * *

The route was more than eerie. He felt so insecure on his way to the club, like back with the old days. He used to go there with her, listen to her sing, but none of that was going to happen again. Laura didn't sing.

The club has changed a lot. Some rebuilding has been done. He stared at the floor, where once they stood, him hugging her. He felt so safe then, maybe she felt the same way too...

A chilly breeze blew by. He found it awkward. It was so warm just minutes ago. He looked up to the neon sign and his _friends _entering the club. Tala entered last, giving Kai a reassuring look, bringing him back to reality.

A raven croaked, a dusty cluster swept by.

It was worth a try.

They came this far. He wasn't going back.

The music came full blast into his ears. He could see her instantly, like he had a radar just to detect her. He saw her dancing the night away beside a foreign man. He doubted that she knew him.

"_Why would I go to the public area? The VIP place is much more quiet, Kai. Why would I like to dance like a slut and watch those other girls prostituting their lives away? I'm a singer. I sing for myself, I don't perform for others."_

Her voice echoed in his head. He looked at her. Where were those words now? Had they just... vanished in thin air? Did she still hold that dignity?

He turned his head away, ashamed. Did he love her? Did he love this random girl dressed in a flirty black dress grinding away with a stranger?

Reluctantly, he took a seat on the stools. His arms rested on the marble top and he gave a look to the bartender. She used to work as the bartender...

No.

"Sir?"

"Your strongest," he managed to mutter.

He gulped it down in one shot, letting the liquor tickle his tongue then his throat. It felt good. It burned. He slammed the glass back down, almost breaking it and he looked down at the marble, seeing a blurred reflection of himself.

Are you so low, Kai?

_No, I'm not. _

He took a glance at her, now dancing alone but looked happier than ever. She didn't drink any liquor; she was dancing to her own will and he couldn't stop her. He bore his eyes into her, watching her every move, comparing her to the old Forrest that he knew. This was a new side of her, a side that she had hidden from him.

And he certainly didn't like it. He needed something to remind her of her old self... Maybe---

_But, of course_.

He ordered another glass.

And maybe another after that, he couldn't remember.

* * *

He never intended to get drunk but maybe it was worth it.

It was just like several years ago. Except this time, it was he who was scared of her.

Her soft touch upon his hand almost woke him up but he refused; he wanted to stay in his reverie, where the image of her was perfect. In reality, her black dress was messy and her feet were swollen from dancing too much. Her voice was coarse from screaming above the music and the smile upon her face was just pitiful and sympathetic. He didn't want sympathy from her, he wanted her love.

She told him to step up.

Oh speak again, sweet angel. Fuck, Shakespeare.

If life was so easy, then they'd be bound already.

He tripped over a step and sat down on the steps like a big baby, earning a groan from her.

James, his _friend_, was no longer here. Even he, a butler, found a wife and went away.

See how desperate he was? He might as well just quote Shakespeare. Why not?

He knew that she pulled him up but he refused to get up. He wanted to feel her touch on his skin, just a little longer. But she was stronger now, perhaps stronger than him, because she convinced his body to stand up on its own. That was strange.

His arms were around her shoulders, his body half leaning over hers as she slowly walked to his room.

Instinctively, she headed for the master's bedroom. Little did she know that it used to belong to her.

She deposited him on the soft bed with a big _thump_ and dusted off her skirt.

He looked at her through the moonlight and saw her looking away. "Forrest..."

She looked at him, as if responding to his call. He felt joy rush over his body. "Forrest?"

But the hope fell.

"It's Laura," she repeated with certainty in her voice.

It broke his heart. "No—" he choked.

"You should sleep," she said, her voice cold and monotone, like his used to be.

Oh, how the situation has changed.

"Come 'ere."

She did.

Her raven hair slipped to his face. Several strands brushed against his soft cheeks and he panted. He lifted his arm, trying to reach her. She jerked back in surprise, her eyes widening, and started backing away.

He grasped on her hand, urgently, and tugged gently, like a little boy. He stared into her orbs, diving into her thoughts but couldn't find an explanation. Did she remember? Did she know that she used to sleep in this bed?

She stood over him, so that her face was directly above his and smiled down. "Don't try to be sweet," she started, her voice laughing at him, "you're going to have a hell of a hangover."

_No shit_. But he didn't manage to say a thing.

"Why did you drink so much? Was it a girl?"

He wanted to nod but he couldn't. His neck was too stiff.

"I put your keys on the counter at the entrance," she paused, "well you probably won't remember."

_I don't care where you put my keys._ He stared at her, begging silently, hoping that she'd understand the language of silence.

"Stay," he managed to whisper.

The air was silent around them. He could hear her heartbeat quicken. The whispers of the wind running to his ears.

Something was wrong.

She opened her mouth but closed it, unable to speak her heart out.

His arms crept up to her neck, like in a dream. His fingers tangled and refused to let go. She didn't back away. That was a good sign, right?

She gave him a pitiful look again. He wished she stopped looking at him like that.

He had her trapped. It was her fault if she brought him home. Why did she anyway? Tala was still there. Everyone else was gone but maybe... maybe she wanted to spend time with him? Perhaps—

He tensed. He felt a hot breath on one of his most sensitive spots and moaned.

She whispered into his ears: "I'm sorry, Kai."

His eyes widened in shock. She called him Kai! Maybe...

An unbearable migraine banged against his head, he winced in pain and closed his eyes. Why was he so weak at the wrong time? He was always too weak to call her when he needed her by his side. He wanted to say something to her.

Her face was so close to his, he thought that she'd kiss him. No, he wished that she'd kiss him.

An eternity passed, so he wished, but she looked away.

She didn't kiss him... She wanted to cry.

She opened her mouth but didn't speak. She sang. She sang the one song that she always sang, the one that made her feel happy because it made her feel loved.

"_I could not fathom that I would ever_  
_Bewithout_ _your love_  
_Never imagined I'd be_  
_Sitting here beside myself._"

She looked away, as if ashamed of herself. Kai was already half unconscious, merely hearing the murmured lyrics and the soft melody. She placed her warm palm on his face and traced her fingers up to his forehead.

"It wasn't my fault, Kai."

He couldn't remember what happened next. He could see her black silhouette disappearing from his sight The silence of the air merely killed him.

But at the same time, he felt reassured. There was a tingling sensation on his lips.

Did she ...?

But he wished that she threw some witty comments at him like she used to. Forrest wasn't this weak, was she?

He made a promise to himself.

It didn't matter if her airplane left for Otaru tomorrow afternoon. He had a way to work this out. Only, he hoped that he'd remember it the next morning.

Deep slumber hit him.

* * *

The next morning came like Godzilla, stomping in his room mercilessly. His cellphone vibrated in his pockets, waking him up in a jolt. Grumpily, he answered the call.

It was Tala, wondering what happened last night.

"Look, Shayna's going to the airport with Namiko to say goodbye to your _girl_friend, you can catch a ride."

Kai's eyes widened. It was time? Already?

"Shit..."

"What?"

"Don't leave without me."

He stuffed his phone back in his pockets and groaned. He still had his dress pants on but he was shirtless. Not suspicious about anything, Kai grabbed a random T-shirt and ran for his life.

Well, technically it was _his_ life.

The air was so disgustingly humid. He could feel the soft cotton-like material sticking to his chest, suffocating him. He could see Tala giving him a worried look through the front mirror but he looked down. Was it so strange for him to linger for this long? He just needed to solve a big problem.

The airport never seemed to waste enough money on air conditioning. Immediately the cool breeze blew on his face, calming him.

But he tensed again when he saw her, standing in the middle of the marble floor, in her businesslike posture. Theresa was beside her, somewhat smiling, aware of the painful truth. He glanced at the floor where two small luggage stood. So she was leaving. Forever.

He breathed. At least it wasn't like last time where he didn't catch her at all. At least he saw her this time, and he was sure. It wasn't Jacqueline, it was Forrest.

And she smiled at him, sympathetically. He hated her for that smile but it gave him a tingle of hope. Then he felt a soft brush on his lips and he squinted in confusion, bringing his fingers to his mouth.

What was going on?

* * *

**Author's Notes:** I'm so sorry that it's absolutely short but I had to cut it here.

I'm not going to tell you if they kissed or not. It's your choice, your interpretation.

Anyway, I'm planning to make this story a lot shorter because I want to finish "Fallen from Grace" during the summer, continue "Chaos of the Bey" and write most of this too. I finished my SAT II's! Well, 2 of them. I thought that they were pretty easy, yay!

Thanks for those who added this to their favorites & alerts :)

Please review! I was sort of disappointed of the amount that I got last time. I practically live off of feedback. So R&R.


	4. Memory 4: Praises and Mistakes

Sorry, this chap isn't really proofread yet and somehow the uploading didn't go really well (I ended up copying and pasting everything here) so sorry if there's any formatting problems.

* * *

_Suddenly our destiny has started to unfold,_

_And now I can see the greatest story that was ever told._

* * *

**Silence of the Air**

**Memory 4: Praises and Mistakes**

* * *

They stood, staring at each other, feeling the other passengers' luggage through the marble floor, sensing every tumble. But the tumble inside his heart was stronger, like an earthquake. Neither spoke, but it was better that way.

"You-you're leaving for Otaru right?" Shayna finally managed to squeak out before he could even open his mouth. "It's not that far from here."

"It's a two-hour flight," Laura confirmed almost immediately, breaking the tension.

"We should go too." His voice sudden different, even to himself.

Tala's eyes turned towards him. He swallowed his fear. "We should go," he repeated. He ran his fingers through his stuck-up blue hair to maintain his cool. "The high school reunion is a waste of time anyway. We might just well go on vacation." He directed his mahogany eyes toward her and arched an eyebrow. "That is, if you don't mind, Miss Fan."

His politeness shook everyone from their senses, even himself. Forrest was caught off guard; she blushed slightly and tilted her head innocently. "Uh, no, not at all." She gave a light chuckle. "You may come if you want. But I'm pretty sure that the next flight will be in two days. So I'll see you later."

"We're going on the same flight," Kai insisted. "I'm sure that there are still some spaces left."

"Only first class."

The slate haired boy turned to look at his friend. "How many...?"

"You, me, Shayna, Namiko, Ray, Aurora, Mariah, Tyson, Max, Emily, Kenny... but I doubt they'll all come," the red head looked the ceiling.

"And Janet," Kai added reluctantly, turning his head to Forrest, catching a surprised look on her face.

"Janet?"

"You... don't remember her?" It was more like a statement.

Forrest shook her head and suddenly smirked. Kai took a sudden step back, surprised, Laura Fan never smirked that way. Forrest's old naughty self seemed to be catching up.

"If you're going to pay for a dozen people, you can go ahead and come," her eyes trailed to his sleeves, "I bet that little Rolex watch alone can pay for all that."

He gave her a glare back. Kai Hiwatari was not going to pound his goddamn precious watch, was he? That would be like...a complete loss of pride. He grunted.

_Maybe _desperate time calls for desperate solutions.

* * *

It was amazing how much unnecessary furniture could fit in an airplane. The comfortable chairs, hammered to the floor, made her doze off in the first few minutes of the flight. Velvet curtains fell from the white ceiling and fluttered to the carpeted floor. It was first class but they still felt damn claustrophobic. The air blowing from the top of her head just created more nausea. She shuffled her feet in her seat and leaned into the chair. She opened one eye slowly, saw a ball of slate hair, and closed it again.

Her eyes focused.

Wait... slate hair?

_Damn._

"So, why did you come?" she opened her eyes fully and leaned away from him.

He sat a chair from her, suspiciously calm, and didn't make a sound.

"When are you going to leave? You have nothing to do in Otaru."

"You're wrong," his masculine voice came, deep and vibrating. He looked away from her face, afraid to look into her pitiful eyes. "I have a mission."

"A mission?"

"You need to regain your memories," he muttered.

She gazed at him, concentrating on his lips and squinted. "What if...," her voice trailed away. She placed her hands on his shoulders and made him look at her. It was the first time that she had touched him so affectionately. He savored the moment. "What if I don't want to remember?"

He pretended that she didn't mutter such harmful words. Carefully, he took her hands off of his shoulders and placed them in her lap. Unable to resist, he kneeled down in front of her seat and brushed away a strand of hair front her eyes that seemed to be annoying her. He was drawn to her aroma that sprang from a sensitive spot behind her neck. "Are you sure that you don't remember a thing? Do you at least remember me?"

Her curious expression didn't change. He waited a little longer and closed his eyes, feeling a stare on his back. Slowly, he turned his head and to no surprise saw Janet's orbs directed on his hand that rested on Forrest's. Sighing, he pushed himself up with the armrest and dropped a plastic device in her laps.

"These are your old journals. I think that they'll come to some help with your memories," he said sternly. It was so hard to keep his affectionate side from exploding in front of her and he did not need an emotional disaster. "Read them well."

"How do I know that you didn't write them?"

"My Japanese grammar wouldn't suck that much," he rolled his eyes. "You wrote them to practice your Japanese five years ago. Ask your assistant Theresa to translate. She can vow for me. Surely, you trust her."

"Oh no... I learned Japanese a while ago for trading purposes..."

Forrest looked down to her lap, mouthing 'five years ago' to herself in disbelief. She picked up the light USB device and examined it suspiciously. "Strange isn't it..." her lips curled into one of her old smiles, the smiles that would shine through the dark nights at the club, "this little device holds my past. Technology certain beats the human psyche."

Kai's widened in surprise and squinted. He could sense of the old Forrest's personality in her voice but at the same time, Laura's characteristics were overpowering. A ringing sound came to his head. He stared at the girl strangely, remembering something far away. Anna Black. Forrest would have never said that. Only someone who didn't understand the value of life could. He turned his eyes to the carpeted floor and stuffed his hands in his pockets. If Forrest had become someone like Anna Black, he would never love her ever again.

"What are you doing here?"

He lifted his heavy skull and stared like a little child at her.

"Your girlfriend is waiting."

"My... girlfriend?"

Forrest pointed at a petite girl sitting nearest to the window, watching their conversation closely. Janet, feeling the attention on her, flushed instantly and looked away.

"She's not my girlfriend," Kai muttered under his breath.

"Oh really?" Forrest almost smirked. "Don't make her wait for you, Kai. It seems that you've waited for love for too long already. Just appreciate what you have, alright?" she fingered her laptop bag that stood between her legs and lifted it. "I'll read my journals. Now go worry about your girlfriend, whoever she is."

He could see that she wanted him to go away, to leave her some space to think; to give her time to absorb all that happened in the past few days. She took some earphones that the airhostess gave her and plugged them in. Her lips curled into another smile at the music. She turned on the computer and her fingers tapped on the keyboard like a professional. Kai swallowed down his words, leaving his voice dry and turned away. She definitely changed but she still hasn't lost her touch.

He smiled inwardly and gave a short sigh before giving Janet a reassuring nod.

"Are you tired?" he asked, finding a little strength. It seemed that every time he tried to speak to Laura, all his energy was drawn away.

"No, I- I'm fine," Janet smiled faintly. "It's weird, isn't it? It's so strange to have her back." He gave a slight nod and took the seat beside her. "But... well, it's like old time, isn't it?"

He smiled at her and patted her on her shoulder.

Suddenly, somehow, Janet seemed more like the Forrest that he knew. Her timid smiles and passive voice, the way she stuttered and the way she looked at him curiously, exactly like Forrest Fan. A chill ran down his spine.

"Did you... pay for all of us?" she asked timidly.

He tugged on his long-sleeved jacket to show his bare arm. Janet's eyes widened.

"You sold the Rolex watch that your mother gave you? Why?"

"Because some things are just more important than money and business," he smiled at his own words. "You'll understand when you love someone."

From the corner of his eyes, he caught Forrest smiling at him and he was satisfied.

But what he could not see was the pained expression in the petite girl's eyes. She lowered her gaze and sucked in her pride. _I know love, Kai. It's just that... I know that you won't return it. But is she... is she so much better than me? I've tried so much, so much to be exactly like her. I've tried too much to change over the five years and yet I'm still a shadow trailing her_.

She caught Kai glancing at Forrest again and sighed. Janet shifted and let her head fall onto the man's chest, catching his attention.

His heart almost skipped a beat as he felt her soft hair come in contact with his chest through the thin cloth. He smiled down to her calmly and looked to the ceiling. The plane ride was a long one.

_"Sorry," she mumbled, "I'm really tired." _

_"Then sleep," he whispered. _

_"Here?" _

_"If I know you, you'd rather sleep outside than in." _

_"You know me well, Kai," Forrest said, grinning as she put her arms below her head to use as a pillow. "Night." _

The velvet curtains shielded them from the bright light, creating a drowsy atmosphere, perfect for a short nap. He could hear her fingertips clicking the touchpad mouse and sometime sighing as memories poured back to her, or so he hoped. The light coming from the laptop screen illuminated her worried face. He closed his eyes and leaned back into the warm chair. Janet let out a groan and rolled her head a little.

_If only there were stars, a dark sky, your soft voice and maybe the old tree. You know, it's always been you. _

* * *

He dragged the heavy luggage behind him with ease, leading the group. After all, not everyone came. Max and Emily sat this one out to visit America to make some commercials on beyblading (the market was still big) and visit Judy Tate at her lab again. Tyson, of course, was essential to the commercials, seeing as he still had the 'world champion' title from so many years ago. He tagged along with his best friend and found no interest in visiting cemeteries – not that Kai liked dead people either. And who could forget Kenny? He practically would sacrifice everything except for his life to even step into high-equipped state-of-the-art facilities again.

Kai turned his head and saw Laura and Mariah strolling towards him, taking their time to gossip about athletes, actors, singer, you know, the usual stuff. Janet, blushing like mad again, had some problems carrying her little sports bag that she brought. Being the _gentleman _that he was, Kai offered a hand and took the bag from her. Namiko waltzed around, glancing at the marble floor and managing well with her luggage. She swung it and let it fall to her back gracefully. She thanked Kai another time for paying for them.

The two couples came last, the pairs hand in hand and taking enough time for Kai to power-walk twice around the mountain of luggage that the girls brought. He swore that someone brought three iron curlers and a grandfather clock with a matching golden lamp. It was so damn heavy and Ray and Tala weren't helping him unload off the rubber track at all.

"So, where are we exactly going to stay?" Mariah turned around and asked Forrest.

"Well, there should be places at the hotel that I reserved. But it is summer and it is near a lake so I'm not sure about available spaces."

"We'll just go and see," Namiko suggested. "Hey where's Theresa?"

"Oh, don't worry about her. She's going to make some phone calls for me that I didn't have time for in the last few days," Laura replied, her eyes flicking to the ceiling while pondering.

"We better get several taxis. There is _no _hell of a way that we're gonna fit into one car," Mariah rolled her eyes as she twirled her hot pink hair.

"So what's the name of the hotel anyway?" Shayna inquired curiously.

"Black Pearl," the two words rolled off of her tongue.

Kai froze suddenly and his eyes widened. _No..._

"Are you okay, Kai?" Janet asked timidly.

He regained his posture and squinted. "We won't need to call taxis."

"Really? That'd be great, 'cause I hate taxis," Laura gave a light chuckle. "Are you going to provide us a ride?"

Without giving her a reply, he flipped open his phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Black Pearl reception—"

"Hey, it's me, Kai."

There was a pause and the others stared at the slate haired boy.

"Yes, please send some vehicle that would fit about ten people. We're at the airport and tell her that we'll be staying for a while."

"Of course."

He shut the phone in a flash and stuffed it in his pockets.

"Who was that?" Ray asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Your girlfriend? You sure don't talk much, do you?" Laura gave a giggle a patted him on the shoulder. "Thanks though for all the trouble."

"Whatever."

A nice tall man appeared out of a black limo and smiled at them curiously. Opening the door, he stepped aside and welcomed them. Kai hated such formality but he had to live with it every single day. The world worked that way. If you deserved a limo ride, you get it. Those who envy you will just hate you forever and on. He sat back to the driver. With a simple gesture, the chauffeur understood that it was time to hit the road.

The ride was so smooth, smoother than the airplane and the air conditioning at full blast seemed to have an effect on everyone. But it was awfully mundane and boring. They yawned one after another and collapsed on each other's shoulders. Forrest merely sweat dropped at the sight and turned her head back to the windshield, continuing to stare at the outside dancing by. Janet, who sat right beside him, fell into a deep slumber, her little body couldn't survive waking up at 5 o'clock, packing in two minutes and a tumbling plane ride. So he breathed calmly, allowing others enjoy their moment of peace while he followed Forrest's eyes onto the outside. It was only when the driver turned a large ninety degrees that he took his eyes off of her... or the landscape.

The words 'Black Pearl' glimmered on the sign, scripted in a smooth cursive and painted in a silver color. The carpet was a burgundy with strands of silver. His feet touched it first and he frowned. One by one, they got off the car and were almost baffled by the hotel entrance. It was older than Namiko's project but it held a strange way of sophistication that none of them could really understand. Nevertheless, everything looked elegant. The simple black marble floor of the inside seemed to inviting. The automatic glass doors suddenly flung open, as if in fear and Kai's eyes widened.

The devil wears Prada.

Or was it Gucci? He couldn't remember what she liked. After all, it wasn't like he was gay or anything...

Her blue hair was cut shorter, ironed into curls that defied gravity. She must have put on much makeup to achieve such aesthetic perfection. She was old, yes, but she maintained the youth – if she had any, that is. Before, he could never see past her layer of selfishness but now, suddenly, he seemed to understand.

"Mother," he acknowledged.

He had been so busy that he didn't even take one day off to visit the poor woman. But then again, she was the devil. Everything seemed to fake around her. Even the little weed that sprouted freshly from the moist soil seemed to be plastic. She still that effect. She smiled down at him. She wasn't taller or anything but it seemed that he was never able to look 'down' at her. She gave a forced smile and nodded to each of his 'friends'.

"Nice... big lot, Kai. I'd prefer that you visit alone but..." Anna Black's eyes trailed to the ground, judging each pair of shoes carefully, picking out the clean and expensive ones and making a mental note to never talk to those who had no taste. She quirked a smile and lifted her head up at particular polished pair of black high heels. "I believe that we have met before, Miss Fan." She seemed satisfied.

Kai wanted to kill himself. _Not this again_.

"Why, you must be mistaken. I'm sure everybody else around the top commerce markets look exactly the same to someone like you. We'd never match your level or your fervor," Laura gave a chuckle. "If _the _Anna Black really knew me in person before, I would have _never_ forgotten that!"

"Well, haven't you changed!" Anna exclaimed.

The slate-haired man looked at his friends –Tala and Ray—and each gave him a shrug in return. _Please don't tell me that my mother just bought that flattery_. But he could see the glint of approval in Anna Black's eyes. Why did his mom accept the wrong Forrest? Why would his mom accept someone who is as cruel as herself? Didn't she know any better for his son?

"This is a special case indeed," Anna Black started. She already had a hand on Laura's shoulder, patting the younger one like Laura just earned herself a treat. "There are two suites open. You may use them and all the other facilities as you want. On one condition..."

Kai gulped. Of course, his mother wasn't going to go that easy on him, was he? She would probably punish him for not visiting her for months.

"That Laura Fan here stays for two weeks," the older woman turned around, "and you, Namiko Hunter, I have heard of your work. Would you mind if I hire you for some advice?"

Namiko's eyes brightened up and she nodded. "Yes, of course, thank you! Uh, Mrs. Hiwatari."

"It's Ms. Black," Anna replied. "Now... children," Kai gave a grimace. She _still _managed to slip the 'children' in... that devil, "the only two suites left are on the fifteenth floor. You can leave the luggage here and they will be taken care of."

An overly-dressed man came over and took their luggage all at once, piled high like a mountain. They were directed to the elevators and Ms. Black followed. Kai could see his mom through the mirrors that hung in the hallways. She was grinning, like she had accomplished something tremendous.

The elevator door opened with a '_ding_' and a group of people stepped in all at once, foreigners, travelers, all squished in the little cube. Kai felt claustrophobic so immediately stepped off of the elevator. The door closed smoothly and he pressed the 'up' button

His eyes flickered up and caught her staring back at him. He gulped.

"Don't you think that it's time to change your life, son?" she started, then her lips pressed into a line.

"Really?" his lip quirked up. "That's my decision to make."

"I know, son. I can't coerce you to do anything nowadays! You don't even come back and visit your poor mother," her lips formed a faint pout but then grinned widely. "I was just thinking of doing something good for you!"

"Oh, your altruism is _so _greatly desired mother," he rolled his eyes a little, "but no thank you."

Her eyes suddenly flashed an alert and focused on his face through the mirror. He didn't want to turn around and look at her directly, face to face.

"Do you not feel lonely? All of your comrades have paired up, it seems that you are left alone."

"No," he pressed. "I'm just waiting."

"You should be married by now, Kai," she frowned. "Love comes around your age. Just watch for it and grasp your chance. You'll understand later on. Look at your brother, he's happily married."

"I doubt it. He hasn't called in ages. Do you really think that he's keeping a happy life away from the knowledge of others?" Kai saw the elevator arrive at the fifth floor and sighed. Couldn't that damn thing go any faster?

"No. I understand marriage much better than you, Kai."

"I know, mom," he sighed. Fourth floor... "But you don't understand love."

"Pardon?" her voice rose dramatically. He hit a spot.

Third floor...

"You don't understand anything abstract, mother. You are only acquainted with money and everything that you can buy with it." He paused and took out a heavy object. Slowly, he turned around and deposited it into her open hands. "This is yours. I return it to you. I'd rather keep the memory instead," he looked away. Second floor... "Dad is dead but I'd rather not see his belongings lying around. I'd rather remember the old man the way that he was, not by his possessions."

She opened her mouth and shook her head to herself. She let out a sudden chuckle. "You still haven't grown up, Kai. Your father was a great man. He knew the balance between everything. I know that I tend to lean on sides most of the time," she smirked, "but you have to admit that I'll always have my touch and my way around things. You should learn the ways from me and stop refusing your own family."

He swallowed the unnecessary words out and managed to cough out a 'no'.

The elevator doors opened swiftly and he instantly stepped inside the cubicle.

"You can't teach me how to love, mother. Your powers come to a limit," he pressed on 'doors close' and closed his eyes.

The double doors formed a barrier between the two and Kai could feel his weight pressed against the hard floor as he rose to the second floor... third... fourth.

Anna Black's thumb stroked the glass of the Rolex watch and stared at her own reflection through the mirror. Her proud face turned into a worried one. She closed eyes and rejuvenated her confidence. Without another second to waste, she carefully dropped the golden watch in her pockets and looked in the distance.

Her son had finally flown away.

But she knew that she could still grasp him on the leg and change his course. After all, she was known as _the _Anna Black. Without her husband, she could do even more.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Yeah, the Rolex watch probably confused you :) No, Kai didn't sell it, mind you, he's not that stupid. It was a gift from his dad –now dead—like I mentioned It's a really easy symbolism so I hope that you caught it :D

I brought the evil-bitchy-mother back for some more arse-kicking. Of course, how could I forget her? I love writing her character. –cackle- I know that you all hate her 'cause she's evil but MetaMorphoSer likes her so I'll keep her in. But you should read on to really judge her true character :)

I've been busier than I expected. I wanted to finish writing this and my other fics but I guess that I won't really get the time. I get my SAT II scores back (for those of you who don't live in the U.S., it's just some subject tests)! I'm really proud of them, especially on my chemistry, I got 800 (full score) :D and 790 on Math IIC. I got two 5's on my AP tests too so I'm really happy about that! Now that's out of the way! –cheers-

Yes, I'm horrible, I dumped Tyson, Max, Emily and Kenny in the trash can. I just couldn't bother with them, sorry. :( I'd rather write out more personality of others and throw in more drama than to have some random couples/people in there. But I glorified them at the last minutes, sorta! Commercials, haha.

I need to watch "Devil Wears Prada" or whatever the movie is called. And Pirates of the Carribean soon... Johnny Depp –wide eyes- Okay, I attempted at comedy but it didn't work out that much. Anyway...

**_Please, please review!_** This chapter literally took all of my creative juices. I drank like at least 12 bottles of water while writing this... don't ask. I really hope that you enjoyed it!


	5. Memory 5: Hi, Friend

_Hey, who said that I had time for love anyway? _

* * *

**Silence of the Air **

**Memory 5: Hi, Friend**

* * *

_We hugged. It was cold and sprinkling but we hugged! I feel so happy now. I've been waiting for him to apologize, but he didn't. So at the end, I apologized. I was glad that I did because I feel so much better now. I should go take a shower. Sayonara!_

_PS: Does it mean anything, anything when you feel so safe in someone's arms? Is it destiny? I wonder. Because I felt that with Kai._

_Maybe, maybe that means that I love him?_

_Could it be? _

She reread that passage over and over again.

"Yeah, she was in love," Laura muttered to herself.

The air was sultry and a sticky layer of God-knows-what rested on her skin. The thin layer of clothes that she previously wore was already stripped and her warm feet came in contact with the cold metal bar of her table. She shivered. Luckily, there was no one in the suite at the time.

"She must have been vulnerable," jumping to the next page, she sighed and muttered the last passage to herself. "Feeling safe..."

Out of the blue, she felt so weird speaking about herself in the third person but still... it was like she was someone else. She remembered those times, when he the sweetest things when they were stuck in a closet, when he was drunk, when she sat with him under the stars, when he taught her how to beyblade on water, when he dragged her out of the tryouts, when he hugged her, when he kissed her, when he...

But it was all about him. No one else. Everything else was just _empty_. When she examined her past relationship with him, she only found half of the answers to her questions. She couldn't remember the others: how they were like, who liked who and who hated who. It was just him... it was always his face that she could see. Every time she read over a passage, she would go "oh yeah... been there, done that...". What the hell, Forrest didn't want that. If she could only feel safe around Kai, what would she do if Kai vanished? What if Kai didn't need her anymore?

She pushed the rolling chair away, extended her arms and let herself fall onto the soft bed.

Theresa was called back to the States already, the poor woman... never escaping from work. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and glared at the ceiling, feeling like it was about to fall on her. "Why did that Miss Black ask me to stay?" she grunted. Now she had to act all mannered and retain herself from exploding in front of others. And they probably believed that she was some bitch anyway. Not that she cared about what others thought about you – that was the only beneficial thing that she got out of business. You set your own reputation; you don't wait for others to define you.

Wiping her forehead with her arm, she felt a sudden heartburn and jerked up. Her eyes trailed towards the laptop screen and her shoulders collapsed.

"Maybe I should see if all of this is true," a smile crept up her lips, "if I did swim really well, then I should still remember. If Hiwatari made this entire thing up, he's going to get himself fucked up all over."

She flung herself to her feet and kicked some loose baggage on the carpet floor. Slowly bending down, she unzipped her bag and took out a stretchy piece of material. After reading a journal-that-she-supposedly-wrote-but-never-remembered-to-have-written, a swim felt like being reborn into a fresh new body.

A rough hair-tie went around her locks of raven hair. Her feet slipped into a pair of flip-flops and started taking sophisticated-looking steps towards the second floor. She rubbed her eyes slightly and stared at herself in the glass doors. Pressing her back to the cool glass, she pushed it open and smelled the strong scent of chlorine that evaporated from the outdoor pool.

She kicked her useless shoes to the side and smiled to herself. Gracefully, she walked to the deeper side of the pool. Her toes dipped in the cool water and she relaxed a little. She bent down, with her arms stretched in front of her, leaned forward and—

"You should look around you sometime—"

"Wha--?"

Foam rose from the pool and waves disturbed the calm surface of the water. A bundle of black hair rose to the surface. Her eyes opened, the chlorine stinging a little and waking her up. The water was refreshing, cleansing, and almost too perfect. Of course, there was _always _something, or rather, someone to ruin it.

"Do you _have _to follow me everywhere?" she blurted out and some water squirted out of her nose. She looked away for a second in embarrassment.

He looked down to the magazine that he was reading. His expression was unreadable behind the dark shades that he wore.

His body rested against a white plastic chair, his legs extended on another. He had the magazine in one hand while the other tapped the armrest impatiently. Needless to say, he was topless and sweating a little. Uh oh.

"You come here to Otaru and now you have to be in _my _hotel?" she sighed and turned her back to him.

"Actually, it's more like _my _hotel," he retorted.

Luckily, the water hid her figure. But it didn't hide his... er... _verypleasingtolookatbody_, her mind slurred as she attempted to suppress those stupid hormones. She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes and she sank more into the water, hiding her scarlet face.

"What are you hiding for? It's not like you haven't seen me naked or—" he started.

"I've seen you naked!" she exclaimed, turning her face around in horror.

Aware that her face was tainted with a furious blush and her mouth hung wide open, he smirked dramatically. "Just checking," he whispered with his deep voice.

"You--!" she hollered, her voice shrill and irritated. "I can't believe you, you-you, piece of... argh!"

Her hands grasped on the ladder. In a flash, she stood in front of the sitting boy with her hands on her hips and she glared.

"I can't believe you. How immature are you?" she tucked some wet hair behind her ears and fumed.

She found him opening his mouth and closing it. His lips formed another deadly smirk. He scanned her from head to toe and put his magazine aside. Drops of the chlorine water ticked his feet as they fell from her cleansed body. She had a black, stretchy, sleek two-piece on, revealing parts of her body in a much different way than before.

"I see... so you're not so modest anymore," he breathed. He let out a chuckle. "You used to have the most modest swimsuit out of the swim team."

"Modest?" she arched an eyebrow. "What are you implying?" she paused. "You're making this up again, aren't you?"

"What?" he exclaimed defensibly. "I never made anything up!"

"Whatever," she turned her back to him. His eyes ran down her spinal cord, sending electricity jolts down her back. "Why are you here?"

"Figured you'd be here," he muttered.

She narrowed her eyes and grunted at him like a child. Stupid Hiwatari. She took a seat beside him, crossing her legs smoothly and stared intently at him. "Why aren't you swimming?"

"I hate swimming."

"Well, I like it," she insisted.

"So?"

"Why are you so dense?" she sighed and rolled her eyes.

He faced her and frowned. "Are you implying that I'm stupid?"  
"No," she smirked. "I'm stating that you _are _a jackass and definitely not a smart one."

He frowned. "I'm not swimming," he repeated.

She shook her head at the stubborn man and left him alone. She tiptoed across the wet concrete floor and went to a counter.

A man about Kai's age beamed at her. "Something for you, gorgeous?"

"Two towels and some cold water, thanks," Laura smiled back.

She grabbed the bottle of water and draped the two white towels on her back. Kai still sat in his chair calmly, reading his stupid magazine. She doubted that he was really reading though. Carelessly, she dropped the two towels on the ground. Her fingers wrapped around the cap of the bottle and twisted it open. She grinned mischievously.

She slowly neared towards him, her knees touching his softly. Kai, in response, glanced up from his 'reading' and arched an eyebrow, only to meet a challenging gaze. She smiled evilly, her pearly white almost blinding him. She cackled as she tipped the water bottle and the cold liquid _innocently _fell onto his board shorts. She thrust her arm forward and the liquid continued pouring on his stomach, chest, neck, face, slate hair... until the last drop fell square on the middle of his forehead. The clear drop glided down his nose and onto his lips somewhat-swollen from anger. A giggle escaped her mouth.

His jaw hung in midair and he glared at her.

"What the fuck!"

A chill numbed his body as it traveled up his body. The only warmth came from his thigh down, and even there, her knees were locked with his and she was intentionally stepping on his toes. He grimaced.

"Now that you're all wet...," she smiled innocently and let the bottle fall on the ground. A thunderous _clunk_ erupted. "Why don't you come swim with me?"

She leaned forward, her thighs coming in contact with his. She sat in his lap and her hands were on his chest, her fingers tracing circles. Beads of water rolled down his skin and he gulped. This was... weird. He groaned. It wasn't exactly alluring because he was numb all over but it was definitely a feeling that he hasn't felt in ages.

Still leaning forward, she let out a hot breath near his ear. "Come on," she mumbled _almost_ intimately, "don't tell me that I did all this work for nothing."

He suddenly relaxed against the rough chair. Her hot breath on the top of his ears felt so... but he tensed back in reflex. This wasn't Forrest! She was flirting so openly. No way—

He felt her knees, legs, hands unlock from him and her fingers wrapped around his wrist. She tugged him strong and pulled him up. He reluctantly took a step ... and another step. Before he could react, she spun around with her hand on his back. He could hear her giggle a little before she gave him a strong push.

Gravity took him.

Her heart laughing, she dived into the water with him.

They both resurfaced at the same time. The blue haired was chocking like mad so he grabbed on to the side, preventing himself from completely drowning.

"What were you thinking! Are you trying to kill me or something?" he roared between coughs.

She pouted. "Harmless fun," she stated, shrugging. "Why, you freaking virgin boy, scared to get touched? Or maybe... you're scared of the poor harmless water?"

She was clearly teasing, flirting, doing something that Forrest wouldn't normally do. But then again... his eyes refocused and his coughs disappeared. This wasn't Forrest. This was Laura Fan, someone else. Someone who wore skimpy, sexy, black swimsuits... Someone who was bipolar. One minute she was all serious with his mother, while another, she was obviously flirting with him. Confusion exploded in his brain and he shuddered. She smiled at him weakly... at least she looked like she was having fun. He sighed.

"Fine... just don't scare me again or something," he muttered under his heavy breath.

She beamed back and let herself float in the water freely. Her legs waved in the water, graceful like a mermaid in the water. That's why she was different from him. He hated the water; Dranzer was all about fire. But for her, every element existed in harmony inside of her. She had fire, water, earth, thunder, wind all blended together within Starlet.

He closed his eyes, remembering.

But five years ago... Forrest used her final attack, and if he could remember right. It was a fire blast, full of power, like something that Dranzer would do. Could that mean something? Like she had a connection with fire? Maybe... He dipped his hair in the water and looked at the sky.

Suddenly, he felt the water stir. He jerked his head back.

"I think that your girlfriend's here," he heard Laura mutter. "I should go or else she'd get the wrong idea—"

He tugged on her arm before she could get away. "What are you talking about?"

With his other arm, he pushed himself up a little to look at the platform. A petite figure strolled forward innocently, unaware that Kai and Forrest were in an awkward situation in the water. He frowned. _Shit_.

"Kai!" the short woman exclaimed, seeing his hair and eyes. "I didn't know that you—" she stopped short. "Oh, you're here too, Forrest," her voice dropped a little, and her smile faded.

"Evening, Janet," Kai managed to utter.

The flame-haired girl approached the pool. Her eyes landed on Kai and Forrest's intertwined arms. She gasped a little. "Um... I was just here to, er, relax a little. I guess that I'll leave then...," her voice trailed away. She gulped down some fear and bit her bottom lip.

As she stood up from her crouching position, Kai stopped her. "Hey, come on. It's about time for dinner. I'll walk you back to your room and...," he glanced at Forrest, "we'll dress up and go eat."

"No, it's okay, Kai," Janet murmured. "You were in the middle of something... I wouldn't want to disturb you or anything..." She cast a shy gaze at Forrest, then at Kai and flushed. She felt to inferior to them, like she was a little child and they were people of another world. Even though Forrest and she were of the same age, Forrest always seemed to shine above her. "I'll just leave."

"No," Kai pressured in. He lifted himself out of the pool swiftly and grabbed a dry towel that was tossed aside. "Let's go."

Janet didn't say a word before she grabbed the second and also last towel, wrapped it around her dry self and walked away with the slate haired man.

Forrest floated in the water and she chuckled to herself. Shrugging, she let her head fall back to the surface of the water and her legs lifted unconsciously to the surface. She relaxed her shoulders and extended her arms, floating stomach up in the water with her hair soaked. She could feel the pull of her scalp growing weaker but it didn't matter. Her hair-tie fell slowly sunk to the bottom of the pool and remained there, motionless. Unconsciously, she kicked some water and continued floating aimlessly in the chlorine water. After all, Kai was gone. And she still was _just_ Forrest.

But this time... it was just a little different. She wasn't the weak little girl anymore. She had a life on her own; she didn't have to depend on Kai to retain her fame. And fortunately for her... Janet was an easy crisis to solve. She smiled to herself almost evilly. Janet was so much like the old her, dependent and easy to get rid of. She laughed out loud, earning a glance from the other tourists. _This is going to be fun_, she told herself. _Too bad I don't remember their weaknesses._ She slowly grabbed onto the steel ladder and tossed her hair aside.

_I changed, I sure did. That little girl who wrote those journals disappeared, Kai. If you truly want her back, then you're looking for the wrong person. I'm not Forrest, Kai. Janet is more like her_, once again, she spoke of herself in the third person, but this time, purely out of pity for Kai, not for herself, _I'm not scared anymore. I'm not scared of you or of love anymore_.

She climbed out of the pool and frowned. She gritted her teeth and blew some heavy and wet strands of hair from her eyes.

'Damn that Hiwatari! He took my fucking towel!"

Furiously, Forrest Fan stormed across the cement platform in her little flip flops, earning a cat-call from the man who worked at counter. In return, the girl gave him a short glare. Quickly, she grabbed another towel from the man and waved a silly goodbye.

Like lightning, she showered. Propping herself on her bed and brushing her hair with care, she glanced at Janet, digging through a tiny makeup bag as she sat on the couch. Forrest smiled at the shorter girl's messy coiffure. Forrest tightened the towel wrapped around her for security.

Suddenly, a knock came and Janet jumped, her face flushed once again. "Uh, could you get that?" she mumbled, trying to put on some last minute touchups on her rosy cheeks, attempting to hide the blush. "Tell Kai to wait just a sec."

Forrest shrugged to herself as she held the towel well and strolled to the door, taking all her time. The wooden door opened with a click, and she found the devil standing in the doorway. He quickly scanned her head to toe, without her noticing and looked away innocently.

"Such a virgin boy," she murmured, knowing that Janet would get mad if she heard. "Oy, come on, Janet! You've been preparing for too long already!" she exclaimed.

The petite girl scurried to the doorway in tiny footsteps like a mouse. "Hey, Kai."

"Mhm, why don't you come with us? We can wait," he added to Forrest before the raven-haired one could shut the door.

"No, thanks," she replied courteously. "Now, that'd give the wrong impression, wouldn't it, Hiwatari? You're good to the market, you know what your reputation means."

She gave him one last bleached smile and shut the door softly.

Sighing, she pressed her back to the cool wooden and closed her eyes.

_I hate business people_, she groaned, realizing how hypocritical it sounded.

Glancing at the shut curtains, she sighed. No one was around; Shayna and Namiko were long gone.

She let her towel fall carelessly on the carpet and reached for her most expensive pair of shoes, her most elegant blouse, her most classy skirt and her most sophisticated designer jacket.

She had a meeting with the _real_ devil, Anna Black, and she predicted that it wasn't going to be a pleasant one. _Duh_.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Man, Laura's such a –insert word here-, grins proudly. This chap really didn't take long to write but I've read over it for like 5 times, editing some stuff every time and I bet that there's still mistakes.

Oh, look at stupid me, I forgot to say who owned which OC's. **Hikari (Hikari-kun and Cia-chan) owns Namiko Hunter and elementBLUE owns Shayna Tanaka. The others are mine and I think that I forgot the _disclaimer_ too: I don't own Beyblade, period.**

Now it's your chance to **vote** for me: Do you want this fic to be rated **M**? If so, you'll get a _kickass_ chapter coming up (it'll be a pain to write it but... anyway). If not, I'll keep this fic **T** and it'd work equally as well and with the same drama, just less ... maniacally :) Anyway, I planned the chapter out pretty much with my evil notepad and now I'm just deciding whether to write in details or not-props legs on table and scribbles-

So it's really your choice, **T or M**?

**_PLEASE REVIEW!_** And vote!

PS: Is it just me or does FFdotnet have a problem with the uploading documents thing?


	6. Memory 6: Karma

A section this is leaning towards the M rating (but not completely M) but I focused most of it on the drama. The last part of this is focused on the OC.

Sorry the formatting's all weird 'cause I'm still having problems uploading files.

The following lyrics pretty much describe Kai's situation so please read.

* * *

_Everytime__ I watch them all go by  
I take in a breath and let out a sigh  
I don't know how much of this I can handle  
Excuse me is my rant taking too long?  
Is it getting in the way of this lovely song?  
Just promise me that you'll never leave  
I'd die if you leave me _

When I was young  
All of these things didn't matter  
But now times have changed  
And I wasn't paying attention

_So fuck you and your mass media toys  
That make being alive seem like a chore  
I don't know how much of this I can handle  
Excuse me is my rant taking too long?  
Is it getting in the way of this lovely song?  
Just promise me that you'll never leave  
I'd die if you leave me _

**Fashionably Uninvited by Mellowdrone **

(go download this song)

* * *

**Silence of the Air **

**Memory 6: Karma **

* * *

Her petite height arrived exactly at his chest; how coincidentally perfect for her. Her small baby fingers softly curled around his contrasting rough hands. His rough collar seemed to be bothering him for minutes now. He couldn't believe where he was and least of all, what he was about to face. A formal dinner, or supper as she called it, being all European and sophisticated, with Anna Black, his own damn mother. Aren't families supposed to be all cheery and simple? Isn't he supposed to wear some comfortable long-sleeves and jeans instead of black Bloomingdales tux and Lacoste brand inner shirt? The gold tie-pin glowed in the dimly lighted corridor. Mindlessly, he watched Janet's tiny hands expand on double wooden doors. One of her hands grasped on the fancy door knob and opened the portal to hell—and he wasn't exaggerating. 

The long redwood dinner table stretched from about the door to the end of the hand-crafted carpet meters away. At the end of that table sat Anna Black, in a simple black turtleneck. Another about his mother was that sometime, she showed off her wealth but wearing simplistic things, something that commoners would wear. In that case, she always implied everyone knew about her wealth so she didn't have to show off. It was truly ironic how not showing off actually brought more attention to her. But it worked well and she could make a shirt from the flee market look invaluable.

"Kai, dear, how was your afternoon?" she started, her elbows placed carefully on the tablecloth, her eyes staring directly into his.

He searched in his mind for an appropriate word, "Refreshing," he muttered plainly.

"Good for you, good for you," she let her voice trail off on purpose, changing the subject. "Your seat is right beside mine."

Kai let go of Janet's hand and took his seat silently. The lonely girl stared at the elegant table, confused.

"What about Janet?" Kai whispered to his mom. "Where is her seat?"

"Oh!" Anna exclaimed dramatically, as if she just realized that there was another person in the room. She then lowered her voice in a malevolent manner. "If you wanted to invite _her_ to dinner, you should have told me first, Kai!" She scanned Janet's weird-colored hair and let out a quick breath of air.

Janet's eyes widened a little and she looked at her toes. Was she really not even _invited_?

"She will sit beside me," Kai pressured in, looking at Janet sympathetically. _Don't listen to the devil_.

"Oh, such a tragedy. I thought that Miss Fan would be more than glad to be your companion tonight. But I guess not," she flicked her hand in the air like the change was nothing and gave a pretend-warm smile to Janet. "Take your seat, dear. Miss Fan will sit on my other side then."

Kai furrowed. Only family members (or extremely good friends, but family came first) were ever allowed to sit beside Anna Black. What was she scheming?

The door opened again to his contentment, as the tension couldn't get any worse. Luckily, it wasn't Forrest who stepped in.

The red-head Tala, dressed in a bleach white shirt and tie, entered with his pretty girlfriend, wearing a rosy colored strapless dress that matched his tie. It was like homecoming, or prom, all over again.

But instead of welcoming them, Anna Black smiled at someone else, a shadow that just appeared. "Namiko Hunter!"

Tala and Shayna both turned around to the newcomer. Namiko's brown bangs were fixed to the side, adding a fresh and young look to her tired face. Her dark gray two-piece complimented her thick rimmed stylish glasses. She took her glasses off in an instant and slipped them into her breast pocket.

"Sorry, I was just confirming some totals with my company. I didn't have so much time to change," Namiko breathed out.

"But you look _dashing_!" Anna exclaimed, adding in a slight British accent. Then the older woman turned to the other two. "And of course, Tala, you look as handsome as five years ago, even though you've changed much." She pressed in at the 'much' as it was a bad thing.

Tala gave a soft sigh, knowing that this would happen. Living around Kai meant that Anna Black could always judge him when she wanted and last time he checked, she absolutely loved him before he "lowered himself" and opened "that hideous strip bar". It wasn't a strip bar, he had told her so many times but she just brushed it away. And needless to say, Anna wasn't pleased with his choice of girlfriend at all.

Actually, Anna Black hated everyone in Forrest's circle with a passion. But only until recently, until she has heard about their financial and social position that Anna Black changed her decision about two people, and two people alone – Laura and Namiko. Everybody else, including Shayna, Ray, and even the perfect Aurora, were looked down upon.

Funny, isn't it? How stuff work out.

Little business-like cards were placed on each dish. Anna Black herself scripted silver letters, dotting the i's carefully and crossing the t's neatly, on those cards. Each of he people's names indicated their seats. Kai added a card for Janet and as he wrote her name, he grimaced at his own hand writing compared to his mother's. He placed the card on the tablecloth. Tala, Shayna and Namiko found their seats. To Kai's surprise, his mom respected Namiko so much that the girl sat at the other end of the table, facing Anna straight in the eye. Namiko seemed to have gulped.

Miss Black clapped her hands quickly and a single butler appeared. The servant went around, lifting the silver lids that previously covered the cooked dishes. Heat steamed from the food and the delicious scent flew to their noses. But Kai didn't smile.

It was exactly seven o'clock and neither Ray, Aurora or Forrest was insight.

Suddenly, a soft knock echoed through the room. The Chinese couple stepped through the doors, making a classy entrance but Anna frowned.

"Late, I see," she thinned her lips and gave a faint smile.

Aurora didn't look down, holding her pride. She waltzed, tugging Ray by the arm towards the table, only to find that Anna placed them across from each other. Aurora glared shortly at Anna and sighed in annoyance. _Bitch_.

It was for no question that Aurora looked better than anyone else; she always did. But she had no background whatsoever other than her marriage to Ray. And Aurora knew well that the only reason she was even invited was because of Ray's fame.

Finally, the last person entered with an insincere grin.

"Fashionably late, I see!" Anna Black exclaimed, her lips curling up.

Aurora frowned at this. Why weren't they "fashionably late" as well? Why didn't Forrest get frowned at?

"Oh, sorry, Miss Black. I went for a relaxing dive at your spacious pool. Quite an adventure, actually," Laura grinned and cast a short but meaningful look at Kai.

The newcomer strolled quietly to the only empty seat remaining and stared down at the card placed at her dish.

"Sorry for the wait."

Laura straightened her skirt and placed her arms on the table softly. She turned her head, only to find herself stuck between Ray and Anna Black. Across her sat the grumpy man, Kai Hiwatari. She gave him a wink and received a disgusted look in return. Her eyes smiled at him.

"Cheers," Anna Black lifted her wine glass, "to Miss Fan. And may all of our lives be prosperous!"

She sipped a few drops of the expensive white wine. The others followed suite, not wanting to make a bad impression. Kai wanted to laugh at the situation, so being the rebellious boy that he was, he drank the whole glass in two gulps. After all, he was lucky. Anna Black wouldn't dare destroying her own family... because destroying family would be like throwing away fame and flushing your reputation down the public toilets.

"We have some succulent French cuisine today," Anna Black's sweet and chilling voice rang, how ironic., "in honor of Ms. Laura Fan, of course." She cracked a grin on her wrinkleless face.

Laura stared down at the entrée curiously, her eyes X-raying the plate searching for the stereotypical frogs or escargots but to her relief, found none. At least Anna Black did know something about French culture...

There was, however, some caviar. Expensive caviar. How typical.

She sat straight and rigid in her dark wood chair, waiting for the host—the Hiwataris—to start the meal. It was, of course, rude for guests like herself to touch the fork first. No one seemed to have an appetite; they stared at each other, each person more uncomfortable than the next. Forrest would have cracked up by now, snorting and maybe her face covered with caviar but she retained herself.

Carefully, Laura peered from the corner of her eyes to observe Anna Black. She was, possibly, sitting in the worse seat – between Anna Black and Ray Kon, the somewhat-pacifist and the devil. On the other side of Anna sat Kai, her _loyal _son. On his side sat the awkward Janet, trying to repress the flush on her face while looking down at her fondling hands. Sitting across from Laura and beside Janet was Aurora, seemingly bored but retaining a perfect posture like always. Aurora _never _lost her touch. Then came the "relaxed" group, the ones that any other ordinary people would befriend, but they were in Anna Black's hotel so it was a completely different situation. Ms. Black herself arranged the seats, convincing Laura Fan and Kai Hiwatari to sit a seat apart and closest to her and placing the most trustworthy people – Shayna, Tala and Namiko far down the row. Ms. Black, however, did have a preference in Namiko, seeing as she was seated directly across from Anna, separated by the long dinning table.

* * *

"Do show," Anna pressed in, smiling. 

"Uh, I'd rather not, Miss Black," her light peach skin glowed a little red.

Her eyes trailed to her boyfriend, searching for advice but only found a confused stare back. She sucked a breath in and nodded courageously.

"Good girl," Anna Black patted on her shoulder sweetly.

Shayna wanted to puke. Like whenever she went on stage, she closed her eyes for a few seconds to focus her mind on the imminent performance. In her mind, she pictured the audience staring at her and prepared herself for the tension. To loosen herself, she massaged her neck as she stepped on the one-meter high stage. She ran her fingers through her hair like a comb and quickly tied her silky black hair up in a thin ponytail.

Tala smiled confidently back at her and she found that most assuring. He could always make her stage-fright go away.

She gulped down the last bits of fear. There was no background music player—meaning that she'll have to find every single pitch on her own. Normally, she would have stuck to the Japanese songs that she knew best but knowing that Anna Black was someone who appreciated foreign things, Shayna chose an English song. She decided to cut the song short; Anna Black was already tapping her Prada shoes impatiently.

"_He might just be poison_," the first verse rolled off her tongue too fast. She regained her posture.

Her fingers gripped the cold metal stand of the microphone and swung it towards her. Her voice enveloped the bar. Two dozen pairs of eyes stared back at her, curious.

"_But I took him to my roof top  
We danced around in circles,  
He said I think we found something real_."

Even Laura looked at the performer with interest and awe, if not jealousy. For the first time for a while, Shayna felt her heart warm up. Anna Black fixed her sleeves carefully and seemed to nod at Kai. They exchanged some weird stares that Shyana couldn't decipher.

The older woman left with a wave, as if she was dismissing something. Her high-heels scratched on the delicate carpet then clicked on the marble floors. Finally, the elevator doors opened and closed, and Shayna saw the last of Anna's shadows.

Immediately, the singer's shoulders relaxed.

She finished her song with a last verse: "_He's a dandelion, he looks like everything I need. I thought he was a flower but I found out he's a weed_."

A warm and assuring feeling swept across her. Tala's arms enlaced her shoulders and he pulled her off the stage.

"Good job," he whispered as his right arm crept around her waist.

Shayna smiled back affectionately. "Thanks. Feels great to be on stage, you know."

Standing a small distance away, however, stood those who weren't so touched by Shayna's relief.

In the worried corner stood Janet and Kai, the oddest pair. They weren't "together" and nor were they friends... Kai's eyes were fixed on Laura, who was leaning dangerously close to Ray. He rolled his eyes at the scene and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Janet tugged on his sleeve like she always did and cleared her throat. She was jealous—no, more disappointed. It wasn't fair, right? Forrest left for so long and yet he still wastes all his time thinking about her. He always brought her name into conversations and it was as if she was his hope, or even reason to live. Sometimes Janet was amazed at his commitment. Even she would _never_ consider Kai as her reason to live. He used to be her hobby, someone to look at and admire. Over the past years, she realized that she missed him and even though they didn't know each other well. She wished that he'd call her or something. After Forrest left, Janet had no more connections with him so it was even weirder to find an opportunity to speak to him. She always had his phone number close by, always in sandwiched between wallet pictures, but was too afraid to call.

She turned her eyes, trying to figure out why Forrest was that interesting to stare at and found out why. Some drama was ahead.

Laura leaned in near Ray's face. He didn't seem to mind. As she whispered something into his hears, he chuckled back and shook his head softly. He was so close that some of his raven hair brushed against her neck. But they both faced the same direction so there was nothing too scandalous. After all, Laura Fan always, _always _maintained her image. But a certain honey brown haired girl seemed to disagree.

Aurora sat not two feet away from Ray but received virtually no attention from him, not even a short sweet glance. Her manicured nails dug into the impenetrable champagne glass and she closed her eyes. She scooted closer to him; so that her head was on his shoulder. Only then did he glance at her. And it was only a short glance too. She fumed but didn't loose her temper _yet_. But her temper was like a dynamite. If it was lit at any time, she would explode.

And Ray's sudden giggle certainly sparked it.

Ray _never _giggled like that with her, unless she tickled him to death. He only laughed and chuckled, sometimes involuntarily. _Why would he giggle at Laura's lies?_ she asked herself. _This is absurd_. She stood up and neared him, face to face. Her frown shattered her delicate porcelain face.

"Yes, love?"

"Don't '_love'_ me!" the Chinese girl blew some hair away from her face in annoyance. Sweat glided down eyebrows and onto her rosy cheeks. Rage built up in her heart.

"Hey...," Ray rested his two arms on her shoulders and stood up at her height, his nose almost touching hers. "What's wrong?"

Aurora narrowed her eyes and shot a quick glance at the girl who previously sat beside him. Laura arched an eyebrow in response.

"What are you worrying about?" he chuckled at her as if she was a little girl. "Come on, join the chat!"

"No, _thanks_, Ray. Can we go away from here?" she tugged on his arm and looked at him suggestively. "Can we away from _some people_?" she pressed in.

"What? Why? Weren't you just having fun?" he asked innocently. "We can play pool or something, I know that you always wanted to play that."

"_Please_?" Aurora gave a kind and genuine smile despite her anger.

"Oh, _please_," a second spark sparked Aurora's rage. Laura's soft yet poisonous voice rang in the room. "If you're bored, don't drag your husband into your boredom. It's not his fault if you can't keep an _interesting _conversation or even amuse yourself for a few minutes. Just because you guys are married doesn't mean that he _belongs _to you. But since you're so possessive," Laura shrugged, "you can go ahead, drag him away and deprive him from something called a 'life'".

Stunned, Aurora swallowed the lump in her throat and she breathed heavily. It was only when Laura turned her head around that she could come back with a comeback.

"You-you _slut_! You don't even _have _any kind of a stable relationship and you insult others? So what if I don't make Ray _giggle _like a pathetic child? Speaking to you is like... speaking to a prostitute. Your goal is to purely entertain and y-your dignity doesn't exist! Who are you to come back to Japan after five, **five **fucking years and insult us? Do you know where our trust went?"

"I never asked for your trust...," Laura muttered under her breath.

Aurora shot the woman a threatening glare and Laura immediately shut up, afraid to face more of the Chinese woman's wrath.

"We were expecting a great Forrest; someone who learned from mistakes and someone who at least remember all the great things that we've done for her. But you! You! All that you can remember is your pathetic plastic family! You—" she drew in a big breath, her lungs expanding, "do you know how many people you betrayed? Did you know that you hung out the most with Shayna, Namiko, and _me_? Did you know that? How come you haven't even looked once at Shayna properly yet? Why, is it because she isn't as rich? And what about Namiko? She worked so hard on that project! That night, the night of the party, it was supposed to be _her _glorious night but you stole away everything! The only person that you really spoke to was Mariah! And she wasn't even truly your friend back then! Is it fair? Tell me, _is it fair_? And what about me? Ray and I invited you to our wedding last year and what did you do? You didn't even open the letter! You sent it back without even touching it! You... you didn't even remember."

Aurora looked down and placed her hand on her heart, as if she was guilty.

"Look, I'm really sorry about the last time that I saw you. I was _controlled _by an evil spirit and none of the things that I've done was exactly my fault. But you should apologize too! You almost killed me too! You were ruthless in that battle. Did you think that there was someone behind that mask? And... and I know that I didn't injure you that badly... then why can't you remember even one thing?"

Her arm shot at Kai, and he looked back innocently. "What about Kai? He-he waited so long for you and look at him now! He's hurting! Janet's hurting! We're all hurting and all that you can do is...make my husband giggle? Don't you have anything else to do? Why can't you just leave us alone and mind your own business? Everything was so much better when you weren't here at all!"

Laura registered the desperate rant that Aurora threw at her and frowned. "Actually, I don't quite care. I'm _sorry _that I don't remember a single _damn_ thing," her voice stayed calm and she spoke slowly. "What do you want me to do? But then again, it's not like I want to remember. I was a lonely little girl, searching for everything that I now have. What more can I ask for? I don't want my pathetic past to haunt me, if that's what you want. Well, too bad, you can't have the old Forrest back. She died, she died when she fell in that coma five years ago. And the truth is... I don't remember anyone _but _Kai. And I've been trying to suppress memories about him for ages. Do you know how _hard _it is? And don't you **dare **call me a slut! That is possibly the lowest insult that someone can come up with. You don't even deserve your husband. The only reason that he married you was for your looks."

Three sparks and an explosion. Laura was swung back in her chair so forcibly that it flipped over. The champagne glass that rested on the arm shattered against the marble counter. She immediately got on her feet and her jaw hung open in fury and surprise. Her fingers traced to her numb cheeks and stared at Aurora, whose right arm was still in the air.

"You bitch! How dare you slap me?"

Silence entertained the room for a few seconds before another war started.

Laura tackled the Chinese girl with full force.

"No!" Ray stood steadily in front of Aurora and shielded her wife from the crazy woman. He pushed Laura back slightly.

As if in slow motion, Laura tripped back on the chair's leg and she fell backwards. Ray's jaws hung open in horror.

Like knifes, the shards of glass on the counter stabbed into her palm as she tried to push herself up. Her scream of agony echoed throughout the room.

Luckily, only half a dozen strangers were there to watch the drama.

"S-Sorry...," Ray muttered as he placed an arm protectively on Aurora's shoulder and extended another to help Laura up.

Laura, out of dignity, or confusion, refused it and stared at her broken hand.

"You!" a roar from nowhere.

From the worried corner, Kai stormed towards the hurricane. Janet desperately tried to hold him back but to no avail, he escaped form her small grasp.

He threw a quick punch to his friend's face, hitting the cheekbone. It felt _great_.

Ray gasped in response and as he recoiled from the last hit, his right arm prepared for an uppercut. But Aurora was holding him back so he punched Kai in the stomach. Bull's eye.

_Fuck_.

"No, stop it, you morons! Hey, this isn't worth it. Hey, look, Forrest and Aurora aren't arguing anymore!" a storm of red hair intervened. Tala tried to hold the two apart as Janet and Aurora were having a hard time doing so.

"It's his fault that he pushed her back! Forrest's injured now!" Kai yelled pointing at the woman sitting stupidly on the floor in her own little world.

"Why do you care about her, huh? She's not even your girlfriend, Janet is!" Ray shouted back. Janet felt as if someone pinched her heart; she stared at Kai intently, wanting him to reply but he gave none. "This isn't about them; this is about Kai and me. We should have settled this years ago."

"You--!" Kai roared.

Both of them prepared their punches. Tala, in horror, stepped between the two and tried to stop the both of them. But after years of practicing Beyblading, their upper body became as strong as ever. Tala was shoved forward, then backward. Then he slouched down and truly hated gravity. He felt as if his intestines were escaping from his body and his skull smashed into pieces. He was getting a black eye for sure. Coughing in pain, some blood spilled on the carpet. Kai and Ray were sure damn strong. He clasped on his shirt and fell on his knees with a loud _thud_.

Frantically, Shyana ran to her boyfriend, her face filled with horror. She sneaked her arms under his shoulders and tried to help him up. Her friend, Namiko, rushed to Tala too and began to help. Janet and Aurora were still trying to hold back Kai and Ray...

Laura still sat on the carpet, examining her injured hand as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world. The upper layer of her skin was ripped. Red blood flesh was revealed and a thin cover of black dried up blood began to form on the wound. But she could still see the layers of muscle and nerves underneath, like a big jigsaw puzzle that was cut open. Blood dripped on the newly cleaned carpet and slid down her arms inside her sleeves. She looked up to the others with almost-teary eyes.

"LAURA FAN!"

No one, no one has ever yelled at her like that before. She flinched. But she was surprised that she didn't get hollered at. Instead, two sharp blue orbs glared back at her. Her friend, or... ex-friend now, sent her a deadly glare. If looks could kill, Laura would have gone to hell, been revived and the process would have repeated at least five times. It was like the Armageddon, only, perhaps, worse. Because Shayna _never _glared like that before. The furious girl spoke no words; her eyes spoke more than enough for her. Afraid, Laura stared back at Namiko, searching for sympathy. But found none.

"I can't believe you. You knew that they were married. Why couldn't you stop? You caused so much trouble already and you've only been here for few days. What happened to you, Forrest?" Namiko spoke calmly and sighed.

She carefully helped Tala up. With Shayna, they helped him walk, or slump, to the elevator. Laura blinked at the name 'Forrest but looked down, almost ashamed.

"I... I... is this all my fault?" she murmured.

"Yeah," Namiko quickly replied and sighed. The brunette, dressed in chic dark gray suits, almost identical to Laura's, turned around.

Trust was betrayed.

Ray didn't even take a second to look at her; he linked his arms to Aurora and placed his other hand on his bruised cheek. The two walked away without another look back. It wasn't like before... it wasn't like last time, when Ray had helped Forrest up even if she fainted. Last time, he spoke kind and friendly words to her: he apologized. But this time, he didn't even grant her the honor of a simple glance. It was then that she realized that she has done something truly wrong. Even though she couldn't remember, she could tell that Ray was one built around loyalty and trust. And if he didn't trust her anymore... then no one would... except for a certain Russian slate-head, or so she hoped.

But no one was that lucky.

Kai gave her a we-really-need-to-talk look before he turned his back and placed his rough hand caringly on Janet's shoulder. His darker slate hair blended into his black jacket and the bottom of his trousers slid across the carpet. It seemed like he wanted to stay behind, she hoped that he'd stay behind, but she knew that she had done something terribly wrong.

They walked away, just like everyone else... leaving her alone in the bar.

Everyone else was a stranger, a true stranger. She looked at her bleeding palm and cursed herself. Why couldn't she differentiate friend from foe? Her body was rigid from keeping a pretty image and her shoulders were numb from sitting up straight.

Subtlety, she could hear the elevator doors open and close with a soft ring. Her shoulders immediately slumped and she leaned back onto the counter. This day was... impossible.

She looked at her feet, currently kicking the glass shards that cut her not two minutes ago. Two pools of scarlet stains rested on the carpet. Anna Black would have furious... She sighed. Things happened too quickly for her to react. One minute she was reading her journals, the other her friends entangled themselves in a huge fight just because she made Ray giggle. As if frightened by her wounded hand, she hid it behind her back, but couldn't ignore the immense pain that it caused when she pressed her back against the counter. _This is fucked up... _

She frowned at the blood-stained alcohol that drained into the carpet, creating a pretty big mess. _Alcohol..._

Immediately, she flung around, only to find an empty counter. She groaned and kicked a swinging wooden door open. Luckily for her, the cheap alcohol was free to consume at any time. As if remembering her old days as a bartender, she chose the strongest liquor there and poured a whole pint of it. Saliva almost dripped out of her jaw. Disgusting. She cupped the glass and gulped down the first mouthful. It was _amazing_. The burn ran down her throat and a cloud veiled her brain. She immediately felt at home and relaxed. She stared at the liquor absentmindedly and merely smiled. She gulped down some more and wiped her mouth like a man. Her expensive jacket was out of her worries. It was already stained with blood and now cheap alcohol joined the assault.

She wiped all her lipstick off and before she knew it, sweat, mixed with tears perhaps, washed away her foundation, concealer and all the other traces of makeup.

"Sulking, are we now, beautiful?"

She hiccoughed. "No!"

A blurry image of a man appeared. He was in his twenties, tall, well-built but not handsome, not one bit. His light brown hair indicated that he wasn't Japanese. He kicked the door just like she did. Resting a meter away from her, he placed his elbows on the counter and smiled at her, smelling alcohol in her heavy breath.

"Mind if I drink some of that?" he smirked at her foolishness and naiveté.

"No..."

He drank from the same big glass and smiled in satisfaction. Normally Forrest would have more than just disgusted; she would have screamed in horror and pushed him away. But... nothing was normal anymore.

"You bored?" he asked, his voice not suggesting anything, "and desperate?"

"Mhm…"

"You're very, very pretty," he continued, "how much do you get paid?"

Laura tilted her head in confusion and pouted at him cutely. "Huh?"

"Aw," he replied back. He took a drink. "Don't you just wish that you had a time machine? Then you could just go back... all the way back." It was as if he read her mind.

"Yeah... how did you know?

"Looking at your situation right now... You're pretty desperate. Don't worry, I'll pay you well."

"What?"

"Come on... my room is nice and cozy. We can have some fun."

"Fun?" she echoed back.

He carefully held her unwounded hand and guided it to his chest. Her fingers barely touched the thin fabric of his collared shirt before he dragged her arm down.

She gasped as she felt something hard throb against her palm.

"You naughty boy!" she whispered into his ears before she gulped down another drink.

"You're a naughty girl, too."

"Mhm..."

_Stupid.__ Stupid alcohol. Stupid brain. Stupid Hiwatari. Stupid life. Stupid world. But... _

Almost gently, he held both of her arms and pulled her up. She took a step, synchronizing with his steps. He guided her to the elevator. As she pressed the 'down' button, his two arms were nailed to the wall, trapping her into a little space. She could barely breathe. There was no more sense of judgment in her; she could have probably jumped off a cliff if he told her too. Plus, the fact that his, she swallowed, was against her leg wasn't calming her at all...

* * *

The next thing she knew, he was carefully sliding her blouse off and mindlessly throwing it into the bathtub filled with hot water. She quickly glanced at her expensive jacket and found it thrown into the wet sink. She gulped. What the--? 

Her hands were pressed against his bare hairless chest, feeling his heartbeat quicken. He still had his very classy jeans on but they could easily fall to the tiled floor as his belt was already unclasped. She felt two hands sliding up and down her perfectly smooth and newly shaved legs.

"You're a rare one, here in Japan..."

"Mhm?" Was he talking about dolls or something?

His hands reached to her naked back and searched for the hooks. His fingers slowly and carefully traced the pattern-lace of her bra. One of his palms touched one of her most sensitive nerves. She gasped _not_ in ecstasy but in surprise. What was--?

"How much do you get paid?" he asked once again before he made another way. "I mean... you are a little too pretty to be in the business, you must cost a fortune."

"What are you talking about?" she groaned.

"None of the Japanese girls have such...satisfying curves," he gave a half-smile.

She arched an eyebrow at him. _Okay... so he goes around screwing a lot? _

He lifted the metal cage of her pushup bra. Her breast bounced a little as the support was gone.

"You must be a jewel among the other _prostitutes_," he murmured.

His hands went to slide the straps off her shoulders but she slapped him in return. He lifted his gaze and met her icy and paralyzing glare. She spat at him, furious.

"You, you bastard! How dare you think that I'm... I'm a _pros_titute!"

He narrowed his eyes. "You're not?"

"No, of course I'm not, you dickhead!"

"What are you calling me, slut? I saw what happened in that bar! You are just an entertainer, nothing more! Of course you're a fucking prostitute! Now, you better listen to me or you won't get paid!"

"I. Don't. Want. Your. Shitty. Dirty. Money."

She gritted her teeth and searched anxiously for some dry piece of clothing. Suddenly, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. _Damn!_ She really hated water at that moment. Her black panties were wet from the soaking hot bathwater and she sighed, disgusted. She turned at him and merely smirked before throwing him a punch right in the nose. _I bet I punch better than Hiwatari! Hah!_

She ran away before he could react. Water dripped from her butt but she could care less. She clasped her bra quickly and roamed through his closet. Luckily for her, there was a dry piece of clothing hanging there. She grabbed a long black jacket and ran for her life. She could smell detergent on the black coat. _Phew, at least this guy washes his clothes_...

Without a hesitation, she stormed down the stairs, knowing that the man couldn't chase her there.

"Fuck!"

She leaned down and rubbed her sprained ankle and began limping down the stairs as quickly as she could.

Not knowing where she was going, she mindlessly arrived in the hotel lobby. She gazed outside... at freedom.

"Gab... Gabe... Gabriel... is this my fault? Is this karma?"

She couldn't go back to suite. Obviously none of the girls would have forgiven her this quickly.

Even though the coat was thick and long, she could feel the sharp and cutting winter winds cutting her bare legs. And her wet butt didn't help either. She held the jacket together with her hands as it had no buttons to secure it.

Several cabs waited outside for customers. She yanked the door open to the first car and hollered at him.

"Hey!"

"Nani?"

"Cemetery…"

"Nani?"

She glared at him. "Cemetery! Dead people… funeral… cemetery!"

"Dead... people," the cab driver slowly registered before he nodded in understanding.

She glided into her seat in the back and relaxed against the soft material.

Finally, an escape.

* * *

Not in a hurry, she limped down the newly cemented ground. Her expensive shoes were tired down by the tough friction and her hands were tired from clasping the jacket together. So the wind hit full hard on her body. On her cheeks, her face, her breasts, her stomach, her thighs, even her poor little feet suffered. No one would ever think that Forrest Fan would be wearing assorted lacy underwear under a _stolen _jacket from a drunken man. And no one would ever believe that she was just mistaken for a prostitute for God's sakes. 

Tears stung the corner of her eyes but they just wouldn't fall. She wanted to cry so badly, for the insults that Aurora had thrown at her, for the death glare that she got from her ex-best friend, for the quizzical look that she got from the only person who would always cherish her and for her fatuous, very foolish mistakes. And to think that she could have avoided all that if she just didn't open her dirty mouth and speak to Ray Kon.

She wiped her forehead of the cold sweat and slumped down to her knees, onto the hard cement ground. Some scarce weeds had sprouted out from the old cement's cracks... other than that, the cemetery was lifeless…except for that lonely woman, grasping on the edge of a cliff, afraid to fall.

She clamped her hands and blew some hot breath on them, trying to keep warm. As if drawn to it, her fingers traced the contour of the marble stone. On its flat surface was engraved some Japanese characters. Softly and carefully, she blew the aging dust away from the stone and coughed. She read her mother's name to herself and she smiled.

It was like she was choking. Her shoulders jerked up and down. Breaths escaped her mouth unevenly and tears of pearls glided down her numb cheeks. It was so cold... so cold... The air was suffocating. But it was dead quiet.

She felt so ashamed, being in her undergarments in front of her mother's grave.

"Okaa-san," she whispered, "I'm sorry. I... I should have visited every year, then I'd never like this. I'm so unfaithful to everyone and... and they expect so much out of me." She sobbed.

With her blood-shot red eyes, she gazed at the black marble, expecting it to speak back to her. As the alcohol effect slowly cooled off a little, she realized how stupid she was.

"Okaa-san," a white smoke appeared as she exhaled, "I guess it's true what they say... when everyone turns against you, only family remains. Okaa-san, I'm so sorry. But I didn't know! Is it... is it really my fault? Is it my fault that Gabriel is dead? Is it my fault that-that I can't even remember my closest friends? Is it my fault that I've been in a coma? Is it my fault that I can't understand anything right now? Tell me, Okaa-san. **Tell me! Okaa-san! Why... why does it hurt so much right now? How come everything that I do backfires? Why, Okaa-san, why did you leave me to rot in this miserable world? **Is it because of otou-san? Did hemake everything so bad for us? Is that why you left? Is... is that why karma always gets revenge on... me? But I haven't done anything wrong, have I? Time passes so quickly, Okaa-san! I'm... I'm already twenty-one, Okaa-san. I... counted the years and when you were twenty-two, Okaa-san, I was born. Okaa-san, how come my life isn't settled like yours? I want to be reassured and I want it to be fair and... I'll keep searching for the right way, always. Okaa-san, would you please help me? Can you please help me find myself? I'm so lost. Am I Forrest Fan? Or am I... a slave to an nonexistent world?"

But when she realized Okaa-san would never reply, she clutched her heart and buried her neck in her chest. Slowly, she curled into a ball like a cat and her warm cheeks leaned onto the frozen marble.

Yes, the air was so cold but... it was so comforting.

_"No, Forrest-chan, you are my lucky girl. You are scared of something so far away from you. The future is all yours to write, and rewrite, in all the ways that you wish. It's your choice to make... but don't follow me. Follow the one that you trust the most." _

A small and childish, if not nostalgic, smile crept up to her lips. Forrest Fan slept among the ghosts and strangely, found herself assured by the _silence of the air_.

"Okaa-san..."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Mhm, yeah, I like to insert the title of my fics into the content. Now you know why it's named 'Silence of the Air'. 

Honestly... you either hated this chapter or liked it.

I think that I must be pre-PMSing or something 'cause I've no clue what made me write those long... long... rants. It has nothing to do with my life though –shrug-

I will probably never write such a long chapter again. My head is exploding.

Lyrics from "Dandelion" by Nicole Richie... yeah, I was surprised that she sings too but the song's pretty good.

Next chap: "The talk" between Kai and Forrest... dundundun...


	7. Memory 7: Why I Love You

_She's a prisoner of a long-lasting dream, a nightmare about you. _

* * *

**Silence of the Air **

**Memory 7: Why I Love You **

* * *

Impatiently, she tapped her shoes and grunted.

"You can't speak to Ms. Black," the man replied, frowning. He lifted his eyes and looked down quickly again, burying his face below the reception counter.

"What do you mean, I can't?"

"You see, Ms. Black is quite… famous and busy. She doesn't have time to see homeless girls like you," the dark haired man wetted his lips and went back to work, grumbling under his breath.

Laura fumed. Forcefully, she slammed her hand on the counter again, making the man jolt his head up.

"Do you know who I am?" she roared.

"No." He looked back to his work.

"You, piece of imbecile, idiotic, shitty, mother fucking—"

"I suggest that you leave this hotel before I call the securities, miss," the receptionist said slowly with a warning glare.

"My name is Laura Fan."

"What?"

"I paid for a room here; I was supposed to check in yesterday."

"I think that you're mistaken, miss. You see, a room here costs at least twenty thousands yens a night."

She sneered. _Two can play at this game_.

"You see, _sir_, it's not fair to judge people by what they wear. You should be aware that Anna Black invited me to stay here personally. Now, I'm sure that if you don't even allow me to enter the elevators and get to my suite, she will get extremely angry with you. And who knows? Maybe you'll become homeless soon," she suggested with a sly smile. She could find a way to get him fired any day; her web of connections spread everywhere.

The young man stared back at her in disbelief. "Fine. You may use the elevators." Laura grinned in victory. "But don't litter anywhere."

"Hon, don't be surprised if you're fired tomorrow."

She smirked in satisfaction as she heard the man gulp as she walked away.

The annoying and dull elevator music rang through her ears. She leaned against the cold walls and sighed.

"How am I going to retrieve all my luggage?" she thought out loud. "Shayna will kill me as soon as I step into the room…."

She tried to comb her hair with her fingers and fixing the "stolen" jacket in the mirror that hung in the elevator. Before she knew it, she was glaring at the numbers _2205_ carved in a golden plate installed firmly on a pale brown door. This was a mistake that she had to make.

She twisted the doorknob and was surprised to find it unlocked. Slowly, she peered into the room and frowned. Laura slid into the room, right leg first then closed the door with a soft click.

Her belongings were still intact, meaning that Shayna has yet unleashed her wrath.

"Laura?"

She spun around and sighed in relief as she saw Mariah's confused face. "Oh."

"Why are you acting so… sneakily?"

"Where are the others?" Laura asked, ignoring the previous question.

"Swimming."

"Why aren't you with them?"

The pink-haired woman took a seat on Laura's bed and shrugged. "Just got over a hangover. I might've puked in the pool or something. So how was last night?"

"_Great_." Laura gave a quick smirk and shrug at the same time.

"That bad?"

"Let's just say that I probably got _more_ drunk than you."

"I thought that you guys ate with Kai's mother?" Mariah's lips formed a small pout.

"Something like that," Mariah stared at Laura weirdly.

"Why are you wearing a man's jacket?"

Laura thinned her lips and groaned. "I lost my clothes."

Mariah looked at her disbelievingly then imagined all that could happen, and smirked. "My, my. You're here for one day and you already went through a one-night stand? I envy you, Laura. I've been to a club all night and only reached second base. How did you do it?"

Laura grunted. "I'm not proud of what I did. I bet the others are ready to murder me at any moment right now.

"Now that you mention it… Shayna was rather angry at someone."

The black-haired swallowed some fear and tilted her head lazily.

"I'm getting my own room. You want to join me?" Laura murmured as she looked through her luggage for something fresh to wear.

"Sure," Mariah chuckled, "I don't get along very well with the others anyway. They think that I'm too outgoing," she arched an eyebrow, "I think that they're just too quiet."

"Agreed." Laura flashed a grin before she stepped into the restroom to change.

After changing into her _own _clean clothes, Laura relaxed in the soft material. She was so glad that she brought plenty of underwear, or else she would have puked. Mariah was already at the door, all of their luggage at her feet, with a kind smile. _She's the only one who understands…_

"I hope that the receptionist will be nicer to me," Laura locked the door with a cardkey. "Let's get a room on the top floor to just to avoid the others, mhm?"

The pink-haired one arched an eyebrow. "That bad? Is Kai angry too?"

"No, no. It's worse," Forrest gave a low sigh, "he was disappointed."

* * *

It wasn't even hot outside. Or even warm.

But God knows why they wanted to go for a swim. Aurora didn't mind; she never minded, as long as Ray came with her. She couldn't remember whose stupid idea it was but it seemed to help. The cold water tickling her skin seemed to have shook her up. Now she was ready to talk. They _really _needed to talk. But she felt so bad after she glanced at his smiling face, his golden eyes happy.

Quietly, he floated on his back, in the spacious pool. He tried to get Kai in the pool too, but for some _unknown_ reason the Russian man refused again and again, saying that 'something' bad happened in there. Of course, Ray didn't know about Kai's little incident from earlier.

Anyway, his braid was sinking slowly into the depth of the pool and the usual white shirt that he wore was thrown onto a random chair. He was in royal blue swimming trunks and smiling in his half-naked glory. Slowly, his eyes rolled towards his wife and he smiled at her worried face.

"What's wrong?"

"N-nothing."

Whenever Aurora stuttered, there was _always _something wrong.

"You can't lie to me," he whispered in a dark and smoothing tone as he pushed his legs down to stand up. His feet met the cement bottom and he swayed his arm in the water to help him walk against the little currents. "Something's worrying you," he stated. "What is it?"

"It's not a 'what'," she sighed, "it's a 'who'."

"Oh?" he circled his arm around her shoulders. "Then who is it?"

"You."

Luckily, he didn't choke… very hard. He chuckled slightly and his shoulders slumped up and down. "You're not serious…?"

Her straight glare at him shut him up.

"Why would you be worried about me? I haven't done anything wrong, have I?"

"No," she looked away, "this will sound absolutely absurd but…."

He squeezed her hand softly but she still looked down the gentle ripples.

"It's what … Forrest," she paused, "Laura said earlier."

"Oh?" he arched an eyebrow, interested.

"She said that you loved me only because I was pretty."

His eyes darkened dangerously and he sighed. "Do you want to know the truth?"

Suddenly, jolts of electricity ran through her heart, piercing her heart. _So it was true…_ She bit her bottom lip and sunk in the water so that only her face was showing. But then she caught his caring face looking down at her.

"Of course you're pretty," he started, "but do you think that I'm that foolish?" He sunk in the water, to be at the same level at her. " Aurora, you should know that I'm not the kind of person who would love someone for their beauty. Aurora, we're _married_. We're not _going out_ or even _engaged_; we've been married for more than a year. I'll admit that the first time that I met you, Aurora, I was first stricken by your beauty. But once I started speaking to you, I found your personality, the way you acted, the way you walked, the way you spoke, the way that you lived to be fascinating. It was something that I can live with; I was willing to spend my whole lifetime with you. Even if you were less pretty, Aurora, I would still have same affection, same respect, and same love for you."

She loved how he just repeated her name over and over again with the same lovely tone.

The surroundings were calm; no one spoke, or so it seemed. The others seemed to have disappeared into the blurry background. Shayna's precious wailings about Laura faded into nothing.

"I feel like our souls are two piece of puzzle that just fit together. Just because. I feel like … I'm the key that fits and opens you, the lock. If we haven't met in China, I really doubt that there'd be anything left for me. It's always been you first, then Beyblading," he gave her a smile.

She stared back at him, mesmerized and smiling foolishly. "Sorry for doubting you," she swallowed the last bits of fear and shame, "I feel the same way."

"No problem," he smiled, "I know how harmful Laura's words were. I honestly don't understand why she would've said that. Maybe she's been through a lot too?"

Softly, she nudged him and gave a look in the direction of Shayna. "Whatever she's been through… it doesn't justify any of her actions. Look at poor Tala, Shayna and Namiko, it's so obvious that they're heartbroken." She quietly pulled him into a warm hug. She felt the cool water against his chest and sighed, the warm puff of her breath warming his neck. "It's just so hard to imagine what the little innocent and immature Forrest has grown into. She was the purest of us."

"No," he shook his head, his hair brushing her face, "I don't think that she ever considered herself a part of 'us'. She always seemed to step away, it was like she wanted to be an outsider."

Aurora peered beyond Ray's back, her eyes landing on a slate-and-blue haired young Russian man. He was sitting awkwardly in a white chair with a towel draped messily over his legs. Sitting awfully close to him, Janet tried to hold a normal conversation but Kai didn't seem to respond very much; his face showed how he didn't get any sleep at all and his preoccupied expression. There was no question … everyone, even Janet, knew that he was thinking about a certain woman to the name of Fan. But Janet was smarter than just to give up. For once, Kai had some doubts about his '_love_' towards Forrest, and Janet knew how to use her advantage on the situation.

Kai began to soften towards her. And slowly, his preoccupied expression washed off into a half-smile. A certain visitor from the United States has stopped bothering him. Secretly, Janet grinned, almost in a cunning way, like she has won a contest. She finally had a chance with her beloved Kai.

And she had deserved it too, after waiting for her seven-year long crush. Kai was finally _hers _to love.

* * *

When he heard that Forrest had moved out of the girls' suite, he knew that she wouldn't have gone far. Besides, he was sure that Mariah was sane enough to convince Forrest to stay in the same hotel. Didn't the woman say that she booked a room for herself earlier?

He stuffed his hands into the pockets and grumbled under his breath. It was cool, but not cold. It was surely strange, but he wished that it was hailing outside. At least then, he would be awake and thinking straight.

The afternoon had gone strangely; he suddenly felt an attraction towards Janet that he never felt before. She was _special_ for once. She was there for him, trying to comfort him, smiling for him. She had given him several friendly hugs, like Forrest used to. She even started gossiping about some random and useless things in an annoying yet comfort way. There was little to tell Janet and the old Forrest apart. It was almost scary, but he didn't notice. It felt so good to be with a soul, a carefree soul that he recognized.

It was almost annoying how his mother's hotel was polished everywhere; the marble floor looked like a mirror and he was scared to fall down flat onto the hard rock. The lobby was too-well lighten and decorated in a sophisticated yet simple style. A classical and beautiful crystal chandelier hung above the center of the lobby, where there was a mechanical piano that played lovely tunes all day long.

He was wearing casual jeans and a striped dress shirt yet he felt like he was hobo in a palace. He shrugged the feeling off his shoulders and strolled to the reception.

"Hi, Mr. Black, sir."

"My name is Kai _Hiwatari_," he rolled his eyes, "you better remember that."

"Yes—"

"Look up Laura Fan's room for me," he interrupted impatiently.

"That rude lady?"

"_Rude_?" he chuckled at himself, imagining Laura's awful expression after last night's drama. Yeah, she must have been rude all right. "What's her room number?"

"She asked for it to be hidden…," the man looked up from under the counter and met Kai's glare, "right… it's 3214."

"On the top floor?" he asked himself. Without thanking the receptionist, like the usual Kai, he walked away silently, contemplating silently.

He knew perfectly why Laura would want to hide away from the others. But why did she drag Mariah with her? Odd.

He grunted at the annoying elevator music and stormed out of the cubicle when he arrived at the 32nd floor.

Before he knew it, he was staring at Laura, at her thick white cotton bathrobe and her black … underwear.

"You're wearing a bra…," he blinked to himself and arched an eyebrow.

"Thank you for staring at my boobs," she replied in a perfect monotone. She stepped away and tied the sash around her waist, but her black bra still showed against her pale skin.

"You're… welcome?" he muttered as he shrugged. "Don't you have any dignity?"

"Not after last night," she gave a careless laugh and waved her hand as if dismissing the thought.

He quietly stepped into the little room. It was one with two queen sized beds. Clothes were sprawled on the floor, the beds and half-hung in the closet. It was such a mess. He almost had the urge to clean everything up for her, but he reminded himself that he was there to _talk_.

Where to begin?

"Where did you go?"

She gave him an uncomfortable laugh. "Do you want the long, messed up long version or the short but still pain-provoking story?"

"The short one," he grimaced.

She gave a low sigh and opened the balcony door slowly. The glass door screeched against the metal frame but none of them minded. Quietly, she stepped onto the balcony and he did the same, feeling her welcoming him.

"When all of you left, I got drunk. _Very _drunk. Drunk enough for me to almost have a one-night stand," she glanced at him, "okay, shut up. I was _stupid_. Not my fault. You guys all made me very angry and I didn't go where to go. So after that miserable little _boy_ called me a 'prostitute'," Kai gave her a shocked expression, "long story… Anyway, then I punched him in a face and left for the cemetery to look for my mom. From there, you can just imagine the worst possible angst and drama. And after some great turmoil, voila, here I am, in my new miserable room. It's so miserable that even Mariah left me alone to sulk here," she finished sarcastically. "I swear, I must have done something bad to deserve all this."

"You did do something bad," he added.

"I know. I _know_," she sighed, "you don't have to rub it in. I wasn't in a good mood anyway. Who knew I was requested by your _mother _to stay in Japan longer. I don't even like Japan."

"You used to like it here."

She rolled her eyes at him and looked away. "Unless you haven't noticed, I've changed a lot."

There was an awkward silence where he shifted uncomfortably in his standing position. He pressed his elbows on the balcony fence and yawned. It was early afternoon and he was definitely up for a short nap.

"So what do you remember?" he interrupted, curious. "Everyone wants to know."

"I told you last night," she groaned, "I only remember you. Your face. Your _annoying _face."

He gave her a hurt look.

"You have no clue how annoying it is," she laid her chin on the metal fence that caught her from falling splat to ground floor. Suddenly, a sudden fear of heights swept over her. She leaned her body towards his direction. "When I was in my coma, I could only see your smile, hear your laugh, feel your touch," she shivered against the feeling and couldn't hide her blush, "it was sickening. I didn't even think one bit about my family or anyone else that I met in Japan. Do you know how much of an impact you made on me?" she looked at him in the eyes with an angry expression. "You practically destroyed my life, you know. You shouldn't be surprised that I don't want to get involved with anything here anymore. If a simple boy like you could make me fall that fast and far into something unknown, aka love, I don't think that I can even imagine what would happen if we were in a true relationship."

"I don't think that anything between us was simple…."

"That's the problem," she grunted, "I couldn't figure out what you wanted from me. I was completely in love with you. You must have been stupid or something to not notice," she glanced away, "or maybe you were just good at hiding it. I was this hopeless romantic. I had nothing. I had no fame, no family, no wealth, no love and no _life_ without you and your team. Do you know how desperate that makes me sound? It's like I have depend on you like woman counted on their _husbands_ or _masters_ centuries ago. But it's a different society and it's not right to feel that way."

"_No_," he retorted, "that's just love."

"But you didn't love me back, did you?"

He couldn't utter a word.

"I _knew _it," she whined and twirled her hands randomly in the air, "see, I was right to get over you. Although, your face still disturbs my dreams sometime. But I see you less and less now. I've moved on, Kai."

_Have you, Kai_?

He choked. Was he dependent on her now? Would he die if she went away? Did he feel desperate like Forrest felt six years ago? He didn't love her back then, but now… now he was completely head over heels for her.

He was so afraid to let go.

He was drawn to her, to her weird sense of nostalgia and the way that she complained about her past with him. It disturbed him that she had this little hatred towards him but he was somewhat happy that she moved on, that she was able to find happiness, unlike him.

They seemed to always love each other at the wrong time. They were two pieces of a puzzle who would never fit no matter how many times you rotated the pieces; they just didn't fit like Aurora and Ray did. If only time would slow down and rewind, then there'd be a day, just a day, where they loved _each other_. That would have been enough for the both of them. Just one day of pure bliss…

But that wasn't going to happen.

For once in his life, Kai Hiwatari needed comfort, badly.

Feeling the soft fibers on her bathrobe tickle his tired skin, he suddenly notice her proximity. It didn't matter that Forrest Fan was only covered in bra, panties and bathrobe. It didn't matter that her hair was untamed and her breath was still tainted with the last bits of last night's alcohol. She was there for once, right beside him. He would never let that slip away. _Never_. _Not again_.

Perhaps it was a mistake to make such a move. But it was worth the try.

At least she didn't withdraw back…

Her lips were moist and her frame pressed against him. No one knew who began it. It didn't matter anyway. It felt strange, inviting, intoxicating and so meaningful.

He was right to hold hope for the both of them for six years. Six damn years.

He at least deserved a passionate kiss.

He loved her. A lot. But was he _in _love with her? There was a big difference that he didn't understand. His love seemed almost so far away, something that he forced upon himself like a responsibility to carry up and down the mountains of drama in his life.

One his hands slide on her shoulder, under her bathrobe and neared her neck. His warm palm heated her cold and pale skin.

She didn't whimper against him like a weak little girl. She didn't even respond too much. It hurt him to think how _normal_ she must have felt while he was living the moment of his lifetime.

But she did one move that touched his heart; she stopped the kiss, much to his protests, but tiptoed and breathed against his ear.

"Thank you," she muttered softly and kindly and finally gave him a friendly hug, "for everything. I think that I… understand why I loved—"

Suddenly a cold wind swept across their warm bodes. Kai was chilled to the bones. He felt something glow hot in his jeans pockets and he gulped. Dranzer was trying to warn him of something. He quickly took out something from his other pocket and laid it softly into her opened hands. It was Starlet, her old hope. He wished that Starlet would help, at least a little. Starlet would take off some of his burden, then Kai wouldn't have to hope for the both of them.

He looked down to his toes and sighed. He knew that something went terribly wrong only three seconds. Slowly and fearing, he turned his head around.

Dranzer was damn right.

Mariah was in the doorway, her face a little shock but with a small grin, appreciating the moment. But contrasting the pink-haired woman's expression, a petite woman's jaw dropped to the ground.

Janet's eyes widened dramatically and she couldn't breathe right. Her irregular chokes of air were the only audible sounds in the room. Her hands were gripped roughly on her windbreaker and she looked surprised… and hurt… and unmistakably jealous.

Time stopped.

"Shit…," he muttered under his breath as he realized what just happened.

"Y-you-you… you… ki-kissed h-her…!" Janet blurted.

Without another second to think, the petite girl sprung away. Kai couldn't tell whether tears were streaming down her face or not; he couldn't even start to think about all the troubles this just created.

"Go after her," came a soft and caring voice, one so familiar and far away.

He tilted his head around and met her gentle gaze. She gave him a reassuring smile, telling him that everything was just okay, that he'd live through it without a scratch.

"Go after your _girlfriend_," she repeated, "don't make the same mistake, Kai. You've still got her left. I've done a bad job of being here for you, but Janet has always been waiting for you. Don't make her cry again, all right? She doesn't deserve it."

For the third time in his life, Kai Hiwatari gave a full-smile. Then he turned around to catch the lonely Janet. Forrest was right; Janet was always there for him. Heck, she _loved _him truly. Why couldn't he see that?

He really wanted to correct her to calling Janet his 'girlfriend'.

However, he was so glad Forrest still cared about him, about his happiness. He flung the door open and ran down the staircases.

* * *

Back in the room, Mariah held a strange smile. "That bad? You seem to attract lots of trouble."

"Probably," Forrest chuckled to herself.

She gazed down to the object in her hands and found herself staring into a mesmerizing red beyblade. A warm feeling swept across her tired body.

_Starlet… I haven't forgotten about you_.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Oh man, oh man.

Did you catch the phallic symbol? Haha.

School is getting really tough right now. I'm taking 4 AP classes (and 5 AP tests) and it's almost killing me, haha. So yeah, I sat down and decided to finally finish this chapter. I hope that you guys like it 'cause it definitely took me a _long _time to write.

And it's pretty damn emotional.

I've been sort of inactive on fanfiction stuff, minus some writing things for a forum.

I hope that the next chapter will take less time to get up.

I would really love a **_REVIEW_**. I think that it'd really help me get through with my freaking annoying life. No emoness implied.

Anyway… I just love keep torturing Kai alright :D Hope that you guys liked the chapter!


	8. Memory 8: Best Intentions

_I can forgive, but I can't forget._

* * *

**Silence of the Air**

**Memory 8: Best Intentions**

* * *

It was no use calling for her. Her hair, like in a fire dance, flew gracefully across the air. It was like in a movie in slow motion, part of her lingering, and waiting for him to catch her and apologize. 

The door to the staircases was swung open carelessly as she searched for a way to escape. Ray stepped out from the staircases with his wife Aurora, both surprised to see Janet running aimlessly to the stairs. Ray was pretty sure that she was crying (his cat-esque vision never tricked him).

"Are you all right?"

She flashed them a quick faux smile, probably too quickly to be seen. "Yep. Perfectly fine."

Ray blinked to himself; he never remembered Janet using sarcasm before. Then the echoes of her shoes clacking against the stairs rang to their ears.

Kai, a few seconds later, followed the same path and zoomed past the couple.

"Why are you running?" Aurora called before the door slammed close.

"…To face reality," Kai breathed.

The couple looked at each other and shrugged. They were heading to Mariah and Laura's room, hoping to have a talk with Mariah but avoiding Laura at the same time.

"Maybe Forrest did something right this time, mhm?" Ray mumbled to himself. He felt a glare on his neck and sighed. "Don't worry; I haven't forgiven her yet."

His wife took his hand approvingly and smiled.

"Let's hope that she's not there," she prayed out loud.

"Doubt it."

And he felt another glare on his back.

* * *

"Kai, let go of me." 

Her voice was never so commanding. Never in her life has she been so certain of herself. Then again, she's never been this furious before. It was so difficult to believe. So impossible, illogical, cruel, yet so real.

"Janet, please," Kai pleaded. "Let me explain."

"There is _nothing _to explain Kai," she spoke slowly, carefully choosing her words, "a kiss means a kiss, no matter how or why it happened. So you have nothing to explain," she flashed him a serious look and then looked away.

They were both breathless, especially Kai after he pranced the stairs four by four to catch the runaway girl.

He then realized that she was right; he had nothing to explain, no ways to make her forgive him. He had hurt such an innocent girl. She did nothing but to truly love him but what did he give her in return? Pain. A living nightmare. He realized that a mere sorry really wasn't enough.

His knees felt weak, too tired to support this sudden burden weighting on his shoulders and pressing on his heart. Why was he so stubborn to see? It was so obvious. He, as Kai Hiwatari, should have seen this. Even Forrest, who was so slow at these romance affairs, saw through Janet's actions just after meeting her for a few days. And he, the one whom Janet confessed to more than a half dozen times, had no clue.

If only he could rewind back…

Leaning forward, he closed his eyes and softly pressed his head to her back. Immediately, she arched her back and her heartbeat quickened. He didn't enlace her with his arms; there was no need to. Janet was more than satisfied.

_Since when was Kai this affectionate…? _But logic didn't matter anymore because she was enveloped with sweetness. She had waited 7 years for this; she had been waiting before Forrest arrived in Bakuten, before he even knew her name. Oh, how it seemed like an eternity.

"I love you, Kai."

He looked down to the cement floor, lost. What was he supposed to reply back?

"I…," he sighed.

"You don't have to say anything," she murmured lovingly as her hands searched for his. Her fingers traced over his palm and she sighed. "I know that you still love _her_."

_I'm so, so sorry. _But he knew that even if he apologized to her out loud a thousand times, it would never erase all pains that he had caused.

So he took her hand in his and sighed while looking outside a little window. It was windy outside but the sun was shining, giving him hope. Maybe he had one more chance to make everything right.

Slowly, he lifted his head off her back and spun her around. Gazing into each other's eyes, they could feel that something new was born. Was it love? Neither knew.

But it didn't matter. He guided her to the nearest floor and into an elevator.

"Do you like seafood?" he asked casually. There was so many new things now. Everything that was clouded before now stood out clearly in front of him. Kai realized that he knew nothing about Janet while she knew everything about him, perhaps better than he knew himself. "I hope that you're hungry." Suddenly, it seemed so weird just to have a normal conversation with her.

Blushing slightly, Janet nodded. "Anything's fine, really." She gave him a wide smile. _Anything's perfect if you're here_.

After that, they both fell silent and the annoying elevator music echoed in the little cubicle.

"You know…," he swallowed his fear and tightened the clasp on her hand. Janet didn't refuse it. "I'm not in love with her anymore."

Her eyes widened. Her stomach flipped. Her ears reddened.

She was so astonished, so surprised that reality would be so sweet, so perfect. Entranced in her fantasy world, she almost missed the elevator doors. But luckily, Kai tugged her arm and pulled her out.

Almost tripping on some steps, she grabbed his sleeve a little. As she regained her posture, she gave him a true smile, as mile that was worth a thousand bucks.

Thunder struck, Kai swiftly looked away with his eyes wide open.

This was Janet. Not Forrest, no matter how much Janet pretended to be her. This was an individual that he had never seen before. This was a clumsy and timid girl yet with more courage and hope than he could ever hold. This wasn't the girl or woman that he thought he knew before. A new light. A new image.

And a new beginning. He stopped. Could he come to love this person?

He glanced at a mirror on the wall, seeing her petite figure beside his tall one, both strolling at the same pace, in perfect coordination.

He already had his answer.

* * *

On the other side of the room, Laura smiled. 

She came to the restaurant to escape Aurora and Ray's wrath. The two went to convince Mariah to leave Otaru, explaining that the place was cursed with pain. Mariah, being polite, gave a pitiful look to Laura, and had smiled faintly.

Laura, who hated those pitiful stares, immediately ran away from the room, inventing some lame excuse to get away.

Before Kai and Janet came, her gaze was settled on the bar counter, where she previously had gotten drunk and drifted to—she gulped. _Don't think about that, idiot_. Her gaze then fell upon the new "couple" – she still wasn't sure what to call them – and she grinned to herself.

"At least someone's happy tonight…"

She toyed with the object on her table, a sharp round beyblade. It was Starlet that led her to do what was right. Starlet had always inspired her to choose the _right _path, to forget about personal gain and help others attain happiness. To her, uniting Kai and Janet, the long lost ones, seemed like the right thing to do. Subconsciously, she knew that even if she didn't love Kai, she still wished him happiness. And it seemed obvious to her that he would never get any of that with her. Laura Fan was a different person, not one who lingers five years thinking about the same person, hoping for a full-blooming romance. She was the one who moves on, knowing that the past only causes more pain.

To her, if Kai and Janet's relationship tightened, everything would seem to be all right. She thought that everyone would forgive her – after all, it was what Aurora hollered at her about. They all told her how Janet has always been there and it was unfair that Kai couldn't be with Janet just because of the past.

Laura Fan isn't evil.

In a situation like this, she obeyed to what she was told, to all those facts presented to her.

So you see, she made the most logical choice to let Kai move on, to make Kai forget about her and to make him unite with the woman who _truly _loved him for more than seven years.

But then you may wonder whether this will lead to happy ending or not…

In the end, Laura Fan made the right choice, but at the same time, she made the biggest mistake of her life.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **I'm sorry. It's crappy and short, I know. I feel like crap 'cos I haven't written for so long so I'm refreshing my brain a little. I've been very busy and a little sick for the past several weeks. 

I thought that I should update just before the New Year (it's still 11:20 PM here).

So happy New Year to you guys!

I hope that my writing will get better in 2007, hehe.

Please leave a **review**. Sadly, I only got a few for the last chapter.


	9. Memory 9: Soul Keeper

_You speak out all you feel is defiance  
All you need is some self-reliance  
Cause this world is gonna always try us_

_You're so afraid of what people might say  
But that's okay cause you're only human  
You're so afraid of what people might say  
But that's okay you'll soon get strong enough_

_- Afraid by Nelly Furtado ft. Attitude_

* * *

**Silence of the Air**

**Memory 9: Soul Keeper**

* * *

From the corners of her eyes, Janet saw Laura with her carefully straightened hair and practical yet chic ensemble of marine blue jacket and skirt. By Kai's calm and continuous breathing, she could tell that he didn't notice the woman. Lucky her. She shot a short glare at Laura before turning away, hoping that it would send the woman away. There was no way that Laura could ruin this _perfect _reconciliation. Janet has been waiting far too long for this… since the beginning of 8th grade, when she was only 14 years old. 

He didn't even know her back then; he didn't know anyone but his teammates. The Bladebreakers were so often on their trip that Kai had no time for any other social bonding. But when Forrest came, everything changed. Janet had to admit defeat; Forrest was simply magical, although Janet couldn't see _why_, but anyhow Kai was captured by the brilliance of the newcomer's soul, by her radiance and simplicity, by her "fun" way of life, by her courage, perhaps. Janet had tried to imitate all of that. She even abandoned her dreams for him. Isn't love supposed to be wonderful? Healing?

"Do you drink wine?"

On instinct, Janet gave him the Forrest-esque-smile.

"Sure." But really, she hated the taste of alcohol. She had to satisfy Kai's needs and at the moment, some red liquor seemed extremely appropriate.

Carefully, she read over the menu and held in the grimace. No one in her family has ever liked seafood; it simply tasted like, well, _shit_. Unless it was mixed with the right spicy sauce, Janet would not swallow it – that is unless she was swallowing it _for Kai_. Eventually, she found a dish that used a light black bean sauce, which was spicy. She looked up, smiling, to Kai. He nodded in acknowledgement.

Was she supposed to be excited? Patient? Composed and reserved? Or flirty and bold? She directed a last gaze at Laura but found no woman sitting several tables away. Janet gave a soft sigh. What would Forrest do?

"Kai, let's leave," Janet looked down to her fingers nervously.

"We just got to the restaurant," Kai retorted quickly, a little snappy.

She blinked quickly in confusion. "I mean, leaving this city and return to Bakuten."

"Are you not comfortable here?" he replied quickly, a bit snappy.

_Of course not_.

"Um, I think that my boss wants me back," a sweet lie.

"I'll pay you your salary if you wish," he shrugged.

"No, it's alright. I just…"

Suddenly she flinched. Kai's fingers touched her chin lightly, lifting her head up so that she was staring into his eyes. "I know that you're not comfortable here," he said after sighing, "I don't blame you. Everything's simply awkward here. But something about this place feels new to me, as if we can restart everything from scratch and forget the past."

His words were like honey, sweet, and entrapping. The sweetness spread all over her heart; she melted with it. She gave a timid smile and nodded in understanding. It didn't matter if Kai were lying. Who cared about the truth if you could savor paradise, when you could have Kai by your side?

Letting out a quick laugh, Forrest stood up from her seat. It seemed like no one needed her anymore. Janet and Kai didn't even need some matchmaking! Knowing that Janet would watch her leave, Forrest gave the young woman a smile, a warning. _Don't be trapped in a dream. Kai will drag you down in the honey, like quicksand._

But then again, Janet had fallen into the trap long ago. Forrest was buried in the substance too; her heart has sunk into the sweetness but her head, her reasoning, still stood clear.

* * *

Now it was time for the meeting with the devil: Anna Black. _Seriously, what does she want with me?_ Forrest groaned as she asked herself and found no answer. The two were in the same business, hotels, that is, except that Forrest's father's company was growing internationally and had many more branches. Forrest was sure that Anna Black wasn't interested in expanding internationally though; the older woman seemed to be more interested in a complete travel package in Japan. The young woman scratched her head confusedly. She was _not _ready for a full business assault yet. She still had her personal issues to sort through! 

Reluctantly, she gazed on the tall block wooden doors that stood inches from her face. The gilded doorknobs looked so daring, almost insulting her pride as a businesswoman.

"This is absurd," she muttered before pushing the doors open.

* * *

"Ray…" 

"Mhm?"

There was one question that Ray was attempting to void all day and at the moment, he was cringing with fear. _She's going to ask it—_her mouth opened slightly in hesitation – _no, please, no. Don't. You know that I love you. Pleaseeeeeee_—she gave him a stern look, indicating that he was right – _why? Please I don't want to—_

"Do you love me?"

His shoulders relaxed. That was an easier question.

"Aurora," he reciprocated the same serious look back to his wife, "you already know that I love you more than anything or anyone in the world. And," he paused, sighing, "I thought that I already expressed my infinite love for you in the pool," he teased lightly.

Her ears turned slightly red, and she was glad as the tension eased away. "Just making sure," she grinned as she suddenly crept to him. She tackled him down to the queen-sized bed, and pouted a little. "Do you feel uncomfortable telling me that you love me?"

It was a simple question, tainted with teasing, but he knew that deep inside, she was being serious. "Of course not. I can say it anytime. I love you. I love you. I love—"

"Okay, that's enough, Ray," she interrupted him suddenly before it got out of hand, "and I love you too. But I think that we need to discuss about something."

"Right," he sat up straight and put an arm around her shoulder. "I know that you wouldn't agree with what Mariah said earlier, but—"

"Of course I wouldn't! Mariah completely forgot the fact that Forrest has made Kai suffer for years! That woman didn't think of poor Kai for a second! She doesn't deserve him! Good thing that Kai's chasing after Janet – that's someone who actually deserves Kai," Aurora began her tirade.

Ray sighed softly, remembering about his wife's very volatile emotions. "You're right. Forrest is no angel. But she is no devil either. She wasn't born to make Kai miserable and it wasn't her fault that she reentered our lives. Maybe it's time that we forgive her, seeing as how Kai has probably made up with Janet by now."

"You know that I'll disagree with you, Ray," she sighed, "we really need to leave this place. It just makes us fight, ne?"

"It _does _make us fight," he nodded," but hasn't it always been this way? Don't you love it this way?"

"No, not really," she answered flatly.

"Oh." He looked away. He expected a nicer answer.

Her hands traveled to his shoulders softly and began massaging his neck and back.

"I know that you don't like it here, Aurora," he arched his back as he whispered, "but we'll leave soon anyway. This reunion can't drag out that long, no matter how many excuses Kai may come up with. I was first so excited to see Forrest again, but now, every second, she just disappoints me more and more."

"You once loved her, didn't you Ray?" she asked gently. It wasn't a harsh accusation; they both knew that Ray _had _felt something for Forrest during Aurora's absence. "You have to let her go. She's not the same person."

"I just wish that everything was simpler," he gazed at the curtains, which let the soft light penetrate into the room. "I still love her. She still has a heart of a great friend."

"I know, Ray, I know. But that heart has been buried deep within her lost memories."

The silence lingered for a while until Aurora spoke up again. "I bought tickets for tomorrow, Ray. We're leaving."

She couldn't tell whether he was saddened or not because he had his back to her. But she could tell that he tensed up for a second. _We'll probably never see each other again_.

"This is farewell," he sighed.

"Forever…" she reminded him. _Without Laura around, there are no more troubles for me_. A kind yet somewhat evil smile graced her lips.

* * *

"WHAT?!" 

A middle aged man in the hallway stopped and arched an eyebrow. You'd think that it'd be quiet in a five-star hotel…

"Please," Anna Black said as she gave a small laugh, "it was merely a hint, not even a suggestion."

"Of course," Forrest shifted uncomfortably in her seat and began tapping nervously on the table. "Of course, you'd be kidding."

"But it _is _a possibility," the older woman looked into the younger one's eyes, "and I would be extremely delighted if that were to happen. But of course, I'm not suggesting anything," Miss Black gave her trademark smile.

"… If… if we have no more to discuss then I shall take my leave, Miss Black," Forrest said as she gripped her purse tightly.

"No problem! After all, you are staying for another week."

_Another week of hell…_

"It's my pleasure," Forrest managed to mutter. She bowed as she stepped out of the mini conference room and immediately felt relief.

Deep in thoughts, she made her way back to her room only to find Mariah packing her belongings.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Packing," Mariah started as she folded a pink shirt, "I need to go back to Bakuten."

"No! Not yet!" Forrest immediately exclaimed in protest.

"Sorry, hon, it was fun but this place is just _lame_. Besides, I have a job to return to," Mariah looked at Forrest with a sympathetic smile. "You'll be fine without me."

"Says you."

"If anything happens, Kai will always protect you," Mariah winked as she locked her suitcase. "And voila, I'm done."

"… But I don't want him to protect me," Forrest groaned to herself as she let herself fall on the bed.

"You have no idea how lucky you are, Forrest," Mariah sat beside the woman, "if Kai loved me, I'd return the feelings immediately. He's a great man and has always been."

Forrest shot the pink-haired girl a glare. "I thought that you were on my side."

"I am!" Mariah exclaimed in protest and giggled. "Just know when it's your chance to step up, alright?"

Slowly, Mariah stood up and patted Forrest's shoulder. "I'm leaving; my train departs in an hour."

Forrest didn't look up. Her eyes were still stuck to the pillow beside her head.

"Bye, girlie."

"See you, Mariah."

"I doubt that you will though…"

The door clicked softly. Suddenly, silence seeped into the room. The room was so much more empty. The stress was overwhelming.

In a situation like this, Forrest would blame it all on someone.

"It's all your fault, Kai. Your stupid face, your worthless words, your desperate hopes, the journals you gave me, your foolish attempts, your cruelly hopeful heart, your… you. Your love… my love."

Laura Fan was truly a strong person who persisted in all kinds of situations. But sometime, hidden in her little room, she'd cry until her eyes refused to let out another tear and imagine a better situation. Strangely, that's been happening a lot recently.

"I wish that I didn't love you, Kai."

Truly, she did.

She scratched her head and tried to regain herself. It seemed like the journey was over. Eventually everyone that she "knew" was going to leave for Bakuten. The only ones who would stay were Namiko, Kai and maybe Janet. Forrest needed time to apologize to practically everyone, especially Aurora and Shayna. You know, it's not that easy to apologize for five years of absence and a full-blown fight-misunderstanding-thing. She couldn't explain it anymore. Why was life so _complicated_ around these people? In the hotel business, it was always so straight-forward; you either buy it or not. There are rarely lies and even the hidden packages eventually lose importance. But in this place, every step came with more confusion.

She looked at her tangled fingers for a moment and groaned. _I better start apologizing now…_

Looking into the mirror across the room, she tried to perfect an apologetic smile. It was hard alright but she had no choice.

The way to the suites on the fifteenth floor became so short once she was entranced in her thoughts. Forrest tried to phrase an apology in a thousand ways. Unconsciously, she took the card key from her purse and slid it in the door. The light turned green, allowing her access. A spacious suite lounge with doors leading to two bedrooms came into the view. Forrest decided to start with Aurora, probably the hardest one. Deep inside, she hoped that Ray would help her in her quest.

"If I remember right… it's this room," she told herself as she reached for one of the doorknobs.

It was quiet in the suite, luckily for her, because Shayna and Tala were in the other bedroom. Forrest knocked lightly.

"Shayna?" a voice called from the bedroom. It sounded like Aurora.

"Um… no, it's me," Forrest answered as she twisted the doorknob and opened the door enough so that she could step in. "I just came here to…," she was looking down to the floor, a bit embarrassed, but then she was glad that she was looking down because when she rose her head, she was blinded. "Oh. **_Fuck_**."

On the big king-sized bed with dark green satin sheets were two people… two _practically naked_ people. And it didn't take a genius to figure out _what _they were doing. The position was pretty clear too. Ray's hair was undone and his casual polo shirt thrown mercilessly on the floor. Aurora's dress hung oddly on a nearby wooden chair. Forrest didn't see (and didn't want to see) where the other garments went. The two were tangled rather comfortably on the bed. Aurora did pull up the satin sheet to hide their bodies before Forrest saw anything too provocative and embarrassing but still… anyone with enough imagination, knowledge, and experience would know what was going on.

"Goddamnit Forrest, what are you doing here?!" Ray roared. He was obviously in the middle of some_thing_.

You'd think that Forrest would have run out the door by now but she was truly determined.

"I came here to apologize," she stated sternly, without any emotions despite the evident blush on her face.

"Now's not the time…" Ray muttered and gave her a what-where-you-thinking glare.

"**OUT!**" Aurora screeched.

_How embarrassing_, Forrest thought as she immediately turned around and walked out the door, left with no choices. If she had disobeyed Aurora, it'd be worse. She wiped some sweat off her forehead, rolled her eyes, and sighed. _You'd think that they'd lock the doors, put a sign, or something. Having sex in this place… a shared suite_. No matter how slutty – as the others called her—Laura was, there was still one big fat rule that she still followed: privacy.

Suddenly the other door burst open.

"What happened—" Tala started. But as he saw Forrest, he frowned. "What are _you _doing here?"

_Geesh, why do people keep asking me that?_

"I came here to apologize," she repeated the same damned words.

"For what, specifically? Because you have a lot to apologize for," he crossed his arms in front of his chest and arched an eyebrow.

"Everything?" she blinked in confusion. What? They were steps and parts in an apology?

"That's not good enough; no one will forgive you. Except for Kai, maybe," he gave a light chuckle, as if it was an inside joke. "Look," he stared at her straight in the eye and smiled with satisfaction as she cringed, "there is a farewell party, or something close to that, for Aurora, Ray, Shayna, and me. Although most of us don't want you here, you still have to come."

Forrest tilted her head slightly and nodded, accepting the invitation. Ignoring the last part, she asked, "Why a farewell party? Aren't you going to see each other again?"

"No," Tala stated simply, "the reason why we decided to even come to this high school reunion is that we all separated. We probably won't see each other face to face for another 5 years or so."

"Oh."

_So Kai didn't come to Otaru for me. It was just an excuse to extend the reunion. _All along she believed and wished that Kai had done everything for her. It was sort of comforting. _Well, at least it shows that he cares for his friends…_

Forrest abandoned the apologetic smile that she had mustered the last fifteen minutes. She curiously gazed at Tala's angry face but couldn't help but to laugh a little as his black eye from a few days ago.

"What are you laughing at?" he immediately growled.

"I'm sorry. It's just that… so much has happened," Forrest almost laughed again albeit the serious situation here, "I almost forgot about the whole fight."

"Do you think that it's _funny_?"

"No," she gulped, "it probably hurts like fuck," _shit, wrong mental image there_, she told herself as she remembered what she just saw a moment ago, "but it's funny, in its own painful way."

"Whatever."

"Hey," she began again after he had ended the conversation.

"What?" he snapped back.

"I'm sorry about the bruises. I shouldn't have fought with Aurora. I just lost control."

Forrest waited for a response, anything.

There was an awkward silence where neither of them moved.

But slowly, Tala gave a kind and rare smile. Immediately, Forrest felt her heart warm up.

"You're forgiven," he said, "for that only though," he added.

Forrest bent down and gave a traditional Japanese bow. "I will see you then." Deep inside, she hadn't been happier in months.

These people… they were real friends because only real friends gave each other second chances. Forrest watched Tala enter his bedroom again and sighed. This was probably the third or fourth chance that he had given her. These people were more than friends. They were like family.

* * *

Six hours have passed since that they'd been officially together, after Kai's quite-desperate-attempt-to-fix-everything, or so called reconciliation with his always and forever number one fan, Janet. By that point, Kai discovered Janet's favorite color, her favorite and most hated dish, drink, and salad dressing, her dream place for her honeymoon (which she was extremely embarrassed to admit), and her birthday. Oh, and they shared three short pecks, and one long kiss, which Kai stopped before it got any deeper. Janet, on the other hand, made no moves at all except for starting conversations when the silence got extremely awkward. Kai had a strong urge to do the awkward turtle but restrained himself for causing the woman more confusion. 

They were in a deep (mostly one-sided) conversation when Forrest came in the doors, sparking some intense glares and a few annoyed sighs. Kai could tell that the newcomer tried pretty desperately to look modest; her body was definitely not flattered with the loose dark gray turtleneck and sweatpants. The only thing that seemed glamorous and Laura-like was her glossy lipstick.

"Who invited you here?" Shyana snapped immediately as she saw Forrest and narrowed her eyes.

Forrest gave a quick glance to Tala and saw him cringing so she decided to not mention his invitation, "No, I overheard it from Miss Black and decided to come."

"Why?" Shayna asked as she kept glaring. By then, the group's eyes fell on the arguing women.

"To wish you a good trip back to Bakuten," Forrest stated modestly.

"It's all about manners, isn't it?" Shayna asked but didn't wait for a reply.She glanced at Kai and noticed the man giving her a hopeful look. "Fine. You can stay," she sighed, but added, "but if you start anything, you're _gone_."

A sweet smile crept to Forrest's lips. _Now I know why they were my friends_, she told herself. Shayna has obviously not forgiven her yet but this was the first step.

During the night, Forrest spent some time with each of her past friends, except for Kai and Janet, and found most sympathy in Namiko.

"So what did Miss Black and you talk about?" Forrest started as she watched Namiko sip a bit of champagne.

"Actually… it's a bit odd," Namiko gazed at her glass, "she asked me many questions about Janet and Kai. Of course, I couldn't answer most of them because I don't understand what's going on either. Then, she asked me about Janet's background, education, job, heritage, and all that rubbish."

Forrest's eyes immediately darkened. _So that Anna-bitch wasn't interested in business at all,_ she frowned, _she only wanted us to stay to control Kai's love life_.

"What did she ask you?" Namiko asked curiously, "she told me that she had a meeting with you this afternoon."

"Uh," Forrest cleared her throat softly. "Nothing big, really," she smiled nervously, "she proposed some affairs… very interesting affairs."

"Oh?" Namiko asked rhetorically and frowned. It was pretty obvious that something was wrong.

"I think that I'll go get some… fruit punch," Forrest quickly got up and scurried to the bar.

"Huh?" Namiko arched an eyebrow. "They don't serve punch here…"

Namiko turned around and stared at Forrest for a while, noticing some strange behaviors. No matter how much Forrest had changed, she still acted the same when she was nervous and uncomfortable about something. _I need to know_, Namiko told herself as her eyes began sparkling mischievously, _I just need to get her a little drunk_.

Slowly, the goosebumps on her back disappeared. Forrest did _not _want to remember that one-million-dollar-question that Miss Black had asked her earlier. It was absolutely ludicrous, unbelievable, and illogical… yet not. Knowing Anna Black's personality, it was expected. But _still_, Forrest couldn't believe that the old lady actually said it out loud and so straightforwardly too.

"Hey." Ah, such a familiar and deep voice.

Rolling her eyes slowly, Forrest groaned. "Isn't it obvious that I'm trying to leave you alone with your girlfriend?"

"She's not my—" Kai snapped back but stopped himself. _Well, technically she is_. "Look, if you want to make up with Shayna, there's a quicker way."

"Oh, really?" Forrest piped, interested, "what is it?"

"Sing a duet with her," Kai stated flatly as it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Laura blinked to herself and let the words sink in to her brain. "You want me to _sing_? This has to be some kind of joke."

"The old Forrest used to sing almost every night at the club," Kai looked into her eyes intently, "she was famous for her duets with Shayna Tanaka, especially for the song 'Beautiful Disaster.'"

"Beautiful… disaster? Kelly Clarkson, huh? How the heck did I get into that song," she asked herself out loud before giving Kai a weak smile, "why are you helping me?"

"Do I really need to answer that?" Kai arched an eyebrow.

Forrest tilted her head like a child and frowned, deep in thoughts before it hit her. A deep crimson blush spread over her cheeks and she turned away. Suddenly memories of the past few days flashed in her head and she sighed.

"Kai," she whispered, catching his attention, "I'm sorry for making you fight with Ray, and for making Tala hurt. They are your best friends, aren't they? I… I should have stopped arguing with Aurora."

"That's no problem," Kai shrugged, "sometimes, we need to engaged in little fights to keep our friendships going. We are beybladers after all. On the other hand, you should apologize to me about what happened afterwards on that night."

"Afterwards?" Forrest asked herself before blushing like mad again. "Yes, of course. I was completely out of my mind. I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have. I was so reckless."

"Just be glad that the creep didn't hurt you."

Kai grabbed two beers in his hands and calmly walked away, without another word. He had said what he wanted to and his implications were pretty damn obvious. _I worry about you, stupid_, Kai glanced at Forrest one last time before sitting back down face-to-face to Janet, _I love you_.

Her eyelids slowly fell as a sudden rush of sadness overcame her. Forrest lowered her head so that she could see her blurry reflection in the polished marble. _I don't deserve you, Kai_.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** If you don't know what the "awkward turtle" is, look it up! It's pretty funny in context. Anyhow, I don't know why I'm updating this. I guess that I just want to finish this story for the sake of finishing it. I've grown up a bit with this story and the prequel and I feel bad about abandoning it. I'm not going to beg for a review, but it'd be greatly appreciated if you do. 

Next chapter, the big question that Anna Black asked Forrest will be revealed. I don't know when I'll update again but I'll try to write as soon as I can. I think that I have the rest of the story planned out although I don't know the exact number of chapters left. Thanks for hanging in there with me, even if I lost most of my readers xD Sorry that this chapter was boring 'cos it's like a filler.


	10. Memory 10: Intertwined

Warning: There's definitely some mature content in the middle of this chapter. Don't read it if you can't handle it :) Although, this fic is rated M anyway. I don't know what you're doing here if you're too young :P

Let's move on with the chapter… The beginning is a bit boring but gives important background info. This chapter isn't proofread so sorry about grammar mistakes and typos!

* * *

_My heart always seems to know  
Now take the glitz back, I want the soul instead  
'Cause I found some kind of fairytale  
I used to  
Hover outside my truth  
Always worried of what I'd lose  
And now I can see so clear  
I hope you feel just like I feel  
I found some kind of fairytale_

- Nolita Fairytale by Vanessa Carlton

* * *

**Silence of the Air**

**Memory 10: Intertwined**

* * *

_Mhm_, Forrest thought to herself, _should I humiliate myself or let Shayna hate me for the rest of my life? _As she flipped open her cell phone and looked for the lyrics to that song online. _This is ridiculous_. 

Forrest Fan hasn't sung for five years, not counting the little unconscious chants in the shower. Before, singing came from her feelings, feelings that would never resurface again. The business world had taught her one cruel reality after another of the world. When she rose from her deep slumber that lasted months, she saw a new light; and in that new light, there was no beyblading, no singing, and no Kai.

It is most frightening when a ghost of a memory haunts you in your dreams. _He _seemed so familiar, yet she did not know him. _He _seemed so far, yet she could not reach him._He _seemed to be in love with her, yet she knew that it would never happen. When Forrest looked around in her room, five years ago, she saw Theresa sitting nearby and smiled to the older lady's warm face. She had awakened for more than a week now but had not yet said a word…until…

"Who is _he_?" Forrest asked softly. Theresa's eyes immediately rolled down, showing how she knew exactly what—or rather, who—Forrest was referring to, and struggled to find the correct words.

"He is your weakness, Ms. Forrest. I am sorry," Theresa whispered, near tears.

"Why do you apologize? Has _he _made you suffer, too?" Forrest questioned curiously. Her heart sunk a little as she watched Theresa struggle for words again.

"I suffer as I watch you in pain, Ms. Forrest. Are you better? You have not said a thing since--"

"Please," Forrest croaked, her voice sounded dry and hoarse, "my name is not Forrest," she gave a silent sigh, and looked ahead of her, as if she was about to take a route where she would never be able to turn back. "I am Laura Fan-Godenot."

"…welcome back, Ms. Laura Fan-Godenot," Theresa bowed as she spoke, every word seemed force out. Then she looked into the younger woman's eyes. Both felt the irony of the statement.

Life, indeed, changed completely. Beyblading was never mentioned again. All the magazines and TV programs were trashed and blocked. Her looks changed completely as Laura's father paid for a few plastic surgeries to cover up all the otherwise permanent bruises from her final battle. Her wardrobe was redesigned. She was fed with memories that she had no choice but to accept, no matter how painful or unrealistic they were. Laura did not know the differences between her real past and what was fabricated by her father. But it didn't matter anymore because somehow, with those memories, David Godenot fed happiness to her, a happiness devoid of fearful consequences, unlike that in her past. And truly, Laura could ask for nothing more…except, perhaps, Kai Hiwatari, even if there were consequences attached, because he continued to haunt her dreams every day and night.

One morning, she looked at herself in the gilded vanity mirror in her spacious room. She opened her mouth slightly, but no sweet sound came out. Her _true _voice was gone.

Forrest found the song and lyrics online and began memorizing them as she listened to the song from her phone. It was a tedious task as she forgot all her backgrounds in music. She could neither find the right rhythms nor the correct pitches. Slowly, she softly sang the first few verses out loud so that she could hear herself. It wasn't… good. It was _terrible_.

"What are you doing?" came a voice that made Forrest jump a little.

"Oh, nothing," Forrest answered shakily as she lifted her head to see Namiko taking a seat near her.

Namiko peered over Forrest's shoulders and saw the title of the song playing. "Ah," she started, "Kai surely knows the solution. However, you need to remember that it's the effort that counts."

Forrest gave a chuckle. "Are you saying that I'm not good enough to sing this?"

"Actually, yes, I am," Namiko stated flatly. "Did you really think that none of us was going to check what you've been up to for the last five years? From what I've heard, you haven't sung a verse for five years."

Forrest frowned a little and tilted her head, still deep in thoughts. "I suppose that you spoke with Theresa then." Her words were sharp, like an accusation.

"Do you really blame me? _All _of us were curious, Forrest. Theresa was more than willing to share the stories," Namiko smiled as she spoke. It wasn't a sly smile, but a friendly one.

"I frankly can't see why you're all so interested in my past. It doesn't affect me," Forrest mumbled as she looked away uncomfortably.

"You were always a bad liar, Forrest, since the day that I met you."

"Ah," Forrest replied simply, not wanting to elaborate or comment on that meeting.

"Don't you remember?" Namiko asked. "…anything?"

"I only know what I've read from my journals. Otherwise, I only remember Kai. In my memories, all the other people are just shadows. I cannot tell who they are. It's just… Kai," her voice became softer after every word. The last phrase became a soft whisper.

"Do you still love him?"

It was a simple question. And the answer was obvious not only to Forrest but also to Namiko.

"Even without the memories and the dreams, I would have fallen in love with him already. He has done a lot to help me and has cared more for me than I care for myself. If he ever accepted his mother's plans, I would be the most ecstatic woman in the world," Forrest said, almost to herself. Her face was covered by a dreamy—but not clingy—expression. When she looked Kai, love always poured out first. But regret would closely follow after.

"What was his mother's proposal?" Namiko asked, glad that Forrest brought that oh-so-bothersome subject up.

Suddenly, Forrest snapped back to her normal self and her ears turned red. She flipped some strands of her hair so that they would cover up her expression a little. _I guess that it can't hurt to let someone know…_

"Let's just say that Janet will kill me if Kai were to accept, and I'll need to change my name."

Without another word, Forrest got up and walked up to Shayna.

However, Namiko, who sat still in her spot, narrowed her eyes. _Change…name?_

"Oh. My. God." The woman gasped.

_Forrest Hiwatari?_

Namiko stared at Forrest, who was already across the room, near the stage. _Yes, Janet will definitely _kill_someone for that_. Her unfocused vision lingered and she sighed. _But isn't this the 21__st__ century?_

* * *

Sadly for her, Forrest had already forgotten the three verses that she memorized earlier. 

"Can I have your… address?" she croaked.

Shayna, taken back, blinked a couple of times before realizing what Forrest just asked. "Uh, of course."

"Thank you," the first woman replied as she gave a slight bow before she walked away.

They both knew that Forrest could have easily gotten the address through Ray, Kai, or even the phonebook. Confidently, Forrest smiled to herself. Shayna had at least the patience to hear an explanation for Forrest's rather eccentric and rude behavior. This was the first step.

Now all she had to do was to find a recording of her old singing… _Thank God Theresa is still here._

* * *

It was common knowledge that innocent people were the first to crack, the first to come out of their shells and devise some evil plans to dominate. Janet was no exception. She had read about this: the one way to bind a man permanently to a woman. And it was about time to put her knowledge to the ultimate test. 

They were in the middle of a soft snuggle. She sat on Kai's lap as they both listened to the chatters around them. Janet knew that it was her turn to start something. So far, Kai had been the one who began everything: the hugs, kisses, and even conversations. She had merely responded. They could have been like this for the rest of their lives if she didn't do anything.

"Let's go to my room. No one is there."

She tried to ignore how Kai's muscles immediately tensed as he heard her words.

"Do you have something to show me?" Kai inquired softly.

"Yes. It's crucial to us." Janet's words seemed stringent and forced.

"Ah," Kai sighed as he glanced around half the room before they walked out the bar silently.

All the toasts had been carried out. In fact, after they had finished giving best wishes of success, happiness, etc. to everyone, they had begun to give out random toasts because the atmosphere was so awkward. If they did not keep pouring liquor into their veins, the bar would become as silent as the grave, except the soft music in the background. They were all best friends in high school, when beyblading was still a pedestrian activity. Now, suddenly, subconsciously everyone agreed to they had grown up too much for it. They all had moved beyond that. Kai wondered if he was the only one who dreamed of and wished to relive those days.

He had barely closed the door as he felt her fingers on his shirt, quickly unbuttoning it. Her soft fingers trailed down his chest. He had never been touched that way… a touch so light that he could mistake it as the wind. He didn't understand why Janet wanted to rush it so much; they had all the time in the world.

"Janet," as her name resonated from his voice, she looked up from her fingers, busily tangled in Kai's shirt, "why are you in such a hurry?"  
"I'm not…" she paused only a second to breathe then went back to her previous task of unbuttoning Kai's shirt. They had only been together for nine hours, and counting, and Janet was not going to let go of such an opportunity. She _loved _Kai; she had Kai _all _to herself, no distractions, and no Forrest. Her quick breaths on his skin suddenly caught his notice.

"Are you nervous?" he asked kindly, as if speaking to a child. "Are you a--?"

"Yes," she replied immediately, not wanting to hear that blasted and sacred word.

"I think that we should slow down. Because I am a, you know, too."

Janet stopped dead in her tracks. Wait, what?_Kai is a virgin?_ Finally, she pulled his shirt off his shoulders, and took a long stare at his naked chest. His glorious, naked, and toned chest and stomach, the one that countless girls in the past, including her, have drooled over and fantasized about. It was all for her. But something seemed extremely out of place. For a second, Janet almost felt a doubt in her plan—_no, no, _she mentally corrected herself, _it's not a plan; that would make me seem almost evil. No, this is what I deserve. This is merit._

"Kai, why are you still a virgin?" Janet narrowed her eyes as she asked her boyfriend, feeling a bit guilty that she was forcing herself on him. Softly, she pushed him on the bed and fell with him. Slowly, her silky and wavy hair brushed over her shoulders and landed on his face. In truth, Janet feared Kai's answer but she just had to know. She wouldn't be able to do it if Kai refused; that would be considered rape. She shuddered at the thought.

"I… don't know. I was waiting for the right moment. It just never came."

_No, you liar! _Janet's mind screamed loudly but no words came out. _You were waiting for someone, not a moment. You were, and you are, still waiting for her… _"Is this the right moment, Kai?"

"I don't know," he replied frankly.

Her eyes started tearing, but she wouldn't let him see that. Why in the world would she linger over a man whose heart was never hers in the first time? Janet thought that for once, Forrest was out of Kai's life. But no. Damn, no. Forrest was still there, spiritually. Her sole existence conquered over all of Janet's attempts. It was so _unfair_.

However, all that made her even more determined. She seized his _most_ sensitive part through his pants and stroked him softly. Feeling him tense and twitch nervously reassured her. "Sshhh… Just enjoy yourself. I love you Kai."

He made no attempt to reply as he felt Janet wrap herself around him. He felt whole, completely in synch with someone else, yet at the same time, so empty. They fitted almost perfectly, just a bit tight but it felt so right. Janet rocked up and down, creating the sole rhythm of their sensual and almost mythical dance. Kai was perfectly paralyzed, in bliss and in horror. When the shock that he had lost his virginity so unexpectedly finally hit him, he realized something radically important.

"Janet, wait, wait. Don't we—Shouldn't I go buy a condom? I was never tested for—" he spoke in short breaths.

"No, Kai. I trust you."

"But—"

"Sshhh."

Both knew that it wasn't about trust at all. Janet was just looking for an excuse and he really couldn't be bothered with his rationality. His rationality, after all, was what put him in such a miserable life. If he had acted on his impulses, he would have lived happily, be married, and a celebrity in Japan (after all, he was already one third of those things even before he finished college). Maybe, he concluded, being with Janet was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Janet was Forrest, the old Forrest, but a much more reserved, smart, and perfect version. She was everything that he was looking for: normality, sweetness, and peace.

Slowly but blissfully, Kai entered a previously unreachable haven. Soft moans of ecstasy vibrated through the room, and for the first time, Kai fell asleep peacefully to an unfamiliar lullaby.

Carefully to not wake him up, Janet removed herself from him and smiled to herself. She didn't bother giving him a kiss like any other woman would have. Instead, she entered the bathroom without even bothering to cover Kai with a blanket. The exhausted man lied exposed to the sultry air in the empty room.

After a look at her naked face, she grimaced in disgust. Her face, previously caked with expensive and untraceable makeup, was spoiled with tears and sweat. A pang of emotion hit her chest as she realized that Kai didn't even notice them; he had his eyes closed through the whole… She paused in her train of thoughts. What could she call it, really? Was it a task, a job? She couldn't find a word with better connotation to describe the previous process that others would deem pleasurable and unforgettable. Sighing to herself, she glanced at her naked body. She felt so dirty that she couldn't stand another second without taking a shower. After a while, however, the involuntary smile came back to her; _mission complete_, the phrase pricked at her brain.

A previously suppressed pleased chuckle rang in the bathroom.

* * *

As the night went on, Forrest heard gossips about everyone, about their past endeavors and inside jokes. In almost every way, she felt left out. She was merely physically there, sitting beside Namiko, who seldom joined the conversations semi-interestedly, and absorbed enough information about the past that almost made her vomit. 

Tala ran his club regularly. The place had been redesigned and renamed and was now a very popular club in the area. Bands of minor fame always played on stage, attracting more enthusiastic musicians who sought to be signed by a label. Grasping the opportunity, Tala became a lesser known producer. Slowly, he discovered his own interests in music and business, which matched Shayna's goals perfectly. Shayna studied vocals in college and on top of performing several times per week at the club (her performances were always anticipated with great fervor), she also taught private lessons to aspiring youths. The two coordinated perfectly in their interests, except when Tala was sometimes dragged back into the beyblading world for some rare interviews. They shared their fights and their peace as the music industry brought enough drama to make them reminisce of high school days. But nothing in the future was quite determined yet; after all, they were merely in their early twenties.

Ray, on the other hand, was on his last semester of graduate school, majoring in international studies. He was one of the few who were already married and he _always_ (to the exasperation of his friends) bragged about his wife. And indeed, he had reason to, because Aurora became the cover of a famous Japanese cosmetic company. Her face illuminated billboards and television commercials. Undoubtedly, it paid to be beautiful, and having flawless skin and a famous husband had its perks as well.

Astounded by how different their lives were from hers, Forrest listened with interest and jealousy. These people were successful on their own, despite the fact that they were famous beybladers. Even without the fame, they had extreme talent of their own. Her, on the other hand, had to depend on her step-dad to enter the business world. She stared distantly at the familiar yet far away crowd and sighed. Once upon a time, she belonged with them, happy, innocent, yet in the middle of the world and could chose whatever she wished. Now, although, she had the money and the power, she knew if she even took one step away, all that would disappear. These people, however, could bring their inner talents with themselves.

Something hot burned against her arm through the fabric of her purse. Cursing under her breath, for she feared that there would be a hole in her expensive purse, Forrest rummaged through the little bag that barely contained her cell phone, wallet, and—

Beyblade.

Right. _I was once close to this thing_. Slowly, she cupped her right hand and placed the spinning top in it. Carefully, she examined it as if she had never seen it before. Kai had given it to her in hopes that she would remember. She did, sort of. But the bits that she remembered of Starlet didn't involve any intimate relationship that a blader like Kai had with their beyblade. To Forrest, Starlet filled her heart with warmth only because of past experiences that she couldn't remember. She felt comforted, but she didn't know why. Starlet was a stranger, yet so familiar.

"Good night, Namiko," she muttered under her breath as she still stared at Starlet.

"You going?" Namiko asked, turning her head from her friends.

"Yes. I hope that you all have more fun without me around," Forrest gave a chuckle. "No need to pretend, I know that everything is awkward when I am around. Please thank them for accepting me, Namiko. And thank you, too."

"No problem. But, isn't it better if you talk to them yourself?" the other woman suggested.

"I don't think that they will listen to me sincerely."

Namiko gave Forrest a sympathetic look and smiled. "They will, soon. You are not a bad person, Forrest. I didn't know you well back in high school but they did. Their memories of you are altering their judgments."

"Oh, don't be so nice to me," Forrest enclosed Starlet in her palm and smiled slightly back at Namiko, "I deserve a lot of it. I've been quite a bitch lately."

Simply raising an eyebrow, Namiko couldn't find a reply. Forrest took the opportunity to finally exit the room without attracting much attention. The small crowd, however, still noticed her disappearance and a pitiful smile appeared some of their lips. Seconds later, the conversation continued, and even became more animated. Namiko stepped more towards the circle and grabbed a glass of champagne. "Tonight is a good night."

* * *

That afternoon, Anna Black had proposed a great business plan. The cunning woman was so inspired by the reunion of these beybladers that her eyes glimmered during her meeting with Forrest. 

Forrest shuddered at the thought. But she had to admit, it was quite a fundraiser and the advertisement and turnout would surely be fantastic. Organizing the regional BBA tournament and hosting it in Otaru was bound to make a lot of money. And they had just the connections too, since Tyson and Max became the co-presidents of the BBA. The two certainly wouldn't mind Kai's offer to take the planning of the event off their busy hands free of charge. It just seemed too good. Ex-world champions hosting a celebrated beyblade contest.

Deep in thoughts, Forrest stared at where her feet had brought her. A beyblade arena, located on the roof of the grand hotel. The arena was simply grandiose, with a dozen of spectacular dishes of intricate designs and tricks. Forrest, however, was looking for a simple dish to practice in, knowing that she wouldn't even be able to launch into one of the complicated ones. Finally, in one of the far corners, she found a simple silver dish that had a perfect curvature and was so polished that it reflected the moonlight perfectly.

The night was indeed dark and very cloudy, so that no stars appeared in sight. Forrest stood in an unprofessional stance and took out Starlet and a launcher that she had just bought from the gift store from her pockets. She slid the launcher so that the gears clicked one by one and fixed the beyblade on the bottom. Reluctantly, she pulled the ripcord and launched Starlet.

The beyblade hit the rim of the dish and was on the brink of falling out but its gear shifted so it glided down to the center of the dish. Apparently, Kai had kept Starlet in perfect maintenance but he hadn't dared to launch the blade itself, fearing its consequences.

Forrest didn't know what to do; what she supposed to say something? Command Starlet to do some stunts? She felt no connection with the foreign blade that she had once held so dear. But somehow, deep inside her body, she felt something that suddenly ignited, something that she hadn't felt for five years. It was a warm and soothing feeling, as if she was free and was in control. Slowly, her bond with Starlet was rebuilding itself. The memories flooded back: the battle in the tryouts for the Bladebreakers, the attempts to glide on water, the semi-finals, and finals of the tournament… It all seemed so far away, just a minute ago. Her memories were finally enriched with something that she could be proud of.

"So, my past wasn't bad at all." Indeed, beyblading had brought her pride and power that she could fully enjoy. She beybladed for herself, unlike what she did in the business world, which in the end benefited her father. "I'm sorry, Starlet, for abandoning you for so long."

A familiar and welcoming light arose from the center of the spinning top, illuminating the surrounding darkness. Forrest recognized this light as a sign of hope, warming her heart even more. The tips of the light slowly formed a shape, more distinguishable every second, as it transformed into a star, then into a winged lion, his preferred form.

Bitbeasts couldn't speak but it took Forrest no problem to understand Starlet's message. "Thank you for always being here. Although no one else is." Then, Starlet gave her a different look. The lion's tail swung like a pendulum from the side to side and it approached Forrest, nudging her, telling her to look behind. The woman didn't understand what he meant and instead enjoyed the new warmth that enveloped her body. Starlet's body was aflame but the ever burning fire caused no harm to those that he trusted. Forrest smiled in appreciation as she suddenly noticed the coldness of the air.

Footsteps resonated from behind. Expensive black leather shoes against the cement ground. Although she should have been, Forrest was not alarmed at all. With Starlet by her side, she felt protected. Finally understanding Starlet's signal, she turned her head around and found a silhouette standing in the dark.

"Kai."

He said nothing.

"What are you doing here?"

"I always practice beyblading at night," came his voice, somehow it sounded different, suddenly deeper and more somber.

"Ah. Well, this is my first time launching a beyblade for a long time," Forrest replied. Faintly, she felt weaker and weaker by the second. _Why do I suddenly feel so tired?_

"You shouldn't keep Starlet out for so long. He consumes your energy when he is in that form," Kai answered, as if reading her mind.

Silently, he walked to the other side of the dish and took out Dranzer. With obvious skill, Kai launched Dranzer into the silver dish and smiled at the phoenix as she appeared on top of the spinning top.

"Your bitbeast is beautiful, Kai."

"Her name is Dranzer."

"Have I met her before?" she asked simply. The question, however, hit Kai like a meteor.

"Yes, many, many times."

The silence of the air took over again. The two looked at their bitbeasts respectively, deep in thoughts. They had nothing to say to each other. Both hearts were pounding at the same, rapid rate but their thoughts wandered all over the place. Lazily, Starlet began moving back towards the center of dish. As he approached Dranzer, an old friend, Forrest's eyes followed his form. Starlet bowed slightly to Dranzer and the two looked at each other in recognition.

Forrest's breathing began quickening and although she gasped for air, she didn't order Starlet to return to his original form. As Starlet touched Dranzer most friendlily, Forrest's stare met Kai's. It was a strange moment, their eyes meeting through the magical display of their bitbeasts, almost conjoined. The two beasts' form diminished, turning back into rays of light. The two rays of light, however, intertwined and became a red, orange, and yellow twister. Silent displays of fireworks appeared in the middle of the dish. Forrest's eyes widened in amazement as her eyes bored into the bitbeasts and the figure across from her. Across from her, Kai was not surprised at all. He smiled at the sight and wished that he was as lucky as Dranzer, able to meet an old friend who had not changed at all. The beyblades began rotating at a smaller speed and absorbed the magnificent display of light. The twister of light unraveled and the night became dark again. The two beyblades sat at the bottom of the dish, immobile, and side by side, as if they were two friends holding each other's hand.

Forrest, still dazzled by the magic of bitbeast, smiled to herself. _I have missed a lot. This is almost like five years ago. We both harness fire; maybe that's why we were so close_. "So, how are you, Kai? Have you said goodbye to Janet? I heard that she is leaving tomorrow morning."

"I am fine." He paused and frowned, the earlier signs of happiness suddenly vanished from his heart. "I said goodbye to Janet but I don't think that she said goodbye to me."

Arching an eyebrow curiously, Forrest showed a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"She just lost her virginity to me," his voice was a light whisper, as if he didn't want to admit what had happened. Forrest's eyes widened in surprise but she contained her feelings. "And I, to her."

"So you really were a virgin, huh," Forrest mused in a surprisingly nonchalant tone. Inside, however, a million thoughts ran through her head. _Why are you telling me this? Why now? _"Good for you Kai, good for you. I will see you tomorrow, then," she continued, quickly changing the topic. "We need to plan the beyblade tournament, courtesy of your mother. I am going to go to my room and crash. You should do the same; tomorrow will surely be exhausting."

Kai sighed to himself, relieved yet disappointed that Forrest changed the topic back to business. "Of course. I will spend just a few more minutes with Dranzer."

Forrest nodded in reply and walked to the center of the beyblading dish to pick up her beyblading. After carefully depositing it into her pockets, she turned around without another word and walked towards the door back into the hotel. As her fingers brushed against the cold surface of the metal doorknob, she turned around to look at Kai one more time. "She's really special, that Janet. She has guts, unlike me. Maybe one day, I will match up to her and I will chase _you_, Kai." Her eyes bore into his. "I don't deserve your attention. She does. Learn to love her, Kai."

Then, softly, she opened the door and disappeared from his sight.

"I doubt it, Forrest," he replied although there was no one to listen to him. "It is not easy to love another when my heart has already settled on you."

With melancholy, he picked up Dranzer from the dish and made his way back to his hotel suite. It was already late into the night but no one else had come back yet from the goodbye party. The others wanted to spend just a few more hours with each other. After all, they only saw each other every five years. Kai wanted to go back to the party, yearning to speak to his friends for one last time, but his body disobeyed him. Silently, he trotted to his bed and fell on his bed. His muscles relaxed but his heart was still under high pressure. Inside, he only hoped that his friends and ex-teammates would come to the beyblade tournament in June. Then, he would have his excuse for not saying goodbye to them.

Slowly, slumber overtook him. Two images flooded his brain: one of Janet's pain stricken face and the other of Forrest's confused expression when he told her of the news.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Oh God, it has been such a long time! If any of you stuck with me, I thank you sincerely. I will definitely finish this story at one point. Right now, I'm planning to finish during the summer, if not before then. I think that my writing style changed a little bit again because I haven't written any fiction since November (I tried to do NaNoWriMo but didn't finish). I began this chapter like last August, lol, and I've had a lot of ideas for this since then. 

Of course, I had to link it back to beyblading. I was waiting for a long time to do that. Beyblading is still part of this fic, although there's less of it compared to the prequel. It's what connects all of these people. And I included more descriptions of what happened to Tala and Ray during the 5 years. And, yep, Tyson, Max, and Kenny are finally coming back in the next chapter or so!

Please **review**! It's the only thing that keeps me going.

And I know that there are probably a lot of new readers now. PLEASE READ THE PREQUEL BEFORE THIS. A lot of parts refer to what happened in there. I know that the prequel is a bit painful to read because my writing kinda sucked but read it for plot. It gets better in the later chapters.

Thank you for your patience! And click that little purple button!


	11. Memory 11: Wake Up

There are probably several mistakes in here but I really don't have the patience for editing right now. I can barely get these chapters out…

* * *

**Silence of the Air**

**Memory 11: Wake Up**

* * *

The airport seemed so strange. They had arrived there in Otaru merely a week before but all that happened made it seem an eternity ago. Walking beside Ray, Kai looked distantly to the group of friends walking ahead of them.

"This was like old times, Kai," Ray smiled when he spoke, loyalty never fading from his voice. "I felt free like a high school student again. Beyblading were some good days. In fact, you still owe me that match you promised me four years ago."

"Hn." Kai grunted, back to his old habits whenever he was reminded of beyblading.

"Don't start that again, Kai!" Ray exclaimed, chuckling. "Whenever we talk about beyblading, you always try to act so tough."

"I have to. People expect strength from me," Kai said, rather begrudgingly.

Ray tapped Kai friendly on the back and made the Russian man turn around and look into his eyes. "Why are you so concerned with your image? You remind me of Laura Fan, now. And I mean Laura, not Forrest, because she never cared."

"You speak as if they're two people."

"You're avoiding my question, Kai," Ray frowned.

"_All_ of you don't understand anything."

The small airport was rather empty so Janet, Aurora, Shayna, and Tala lifted their head and stared at the two men trailing behind. Aurora shot Ray a sharp look while Tala frowned at the two. Sighing, Janet coughed to catch the group's attention back to their previous conservation. She was not ready to hear another fight over Forrest. _I really have enough of this. It's always Forrest this, and Forrest that. Why is Kai such a jerk sometime? _

The silence reigned between Ray and Kai for a moment. The awkwardness rose beyond control. Tired of this, Ray retorted, "Why do you still side with her, Kai? She has made us fight, and we've _never_ fought before, not when we were still a team."

"I will always side with her," Kai stated firmly, causing the Chinese man to frown.

"Because you still love her?" Ray asked, although it didn't sound like a question at all. He already knew the answer.

"Forrest was the first one who has ever made me open up. She taught me how to be a friend."

"I was your friend too, Kai!" Ray exclaimed, unbelieving that Kai only considered Forrest a true friend. He had been there for Kai many years before Forrest came in the picture.

"Yes, you were. But we were forced to be in a team before we became friends. She and I, on the other hand, became friends voluntarily, and then she joined the team. She has seen me beneath the surface. Ray, you've always looked up to me—" Kai saw Ray's surprised face, knowing that he had hit a spot and continued. "Don't think that I can't see it. Forrest knew that I was weak inside. She saw me as an equal and treated me fairly, not like you have exalted me. I at least owe her my trust and friendship, and even love."

Ray was undoubtedly stunned at Kai's speech. Rarely had he seen Kai so profound and meditative. "I don't exactly understand your logic, Kai," Ray closed his eyes for a second and looked up at the ceiling distantly, "but, yes, I have definitely looked up to your strength because you were always a leader. It's just that, now, I don't know why you're still chasing Forrest. You have Janet. You have your life. You need to stop chasing the past. I mean, to be honest, it seems that you're just doing this because of guilt."

"Hn."

"Damnit, Kai! Don't always 'hn' me!" Ray exclaimed, anger rising in him as he imitated Kai's famous expression mockingly.

"That is my own business."

"You know what, you're right," Ray admitted reluctantly. "You can do as you wish. I only wish you happiness, just as Aurora and I have."

"Really? Then, I don't want that at all," Kai stated in a monotone, devoid of any emotion and least of all, gratitude for his friend's wishes.

"What do you mean?" the other replied, rather frustrated.

"You are not entirely happy at all, Ray Kon." Kai's use of his friend's full name surprised Ray.

"Don't judge my life, Kai. You don't even know the meaning of happiness."

"I was happy once in the past."

The group had entered the point where Kai could no longer cross because he had no airplane ticket. Tala shot them a concerned look. 'Don't start anything,' his eyes said and Kai nodded back. _He's right_, Kai thought, _we don't need a fight on the day of departure. We're friends_.

"Just… learn to move on, Kai," Ray muttered, sighing as he swung his carryon baggage on his back and took Aurora's hand in his. The Chinese woman looked away distantly, as if unhappy.

Kai made no effort to promise Ray anything but suddenly advanced towards him. To the surprise of everyone, Kai gave his friend what seemed like an awkward and very "manly" hug.

"Goodbye, friend. But don't worry, we'll see each other again soon."

"Oh?" this time, it was Tala who spoke up. "For what?"

"I don't want to ruin the surprise," Kai said, rather mysteriously. He then exchanged a complicated handshake with Tala, the kind that only best friends memorized and used with each other. It was their code and symbolized everlasting friendship. Tala did not need a hug from Kai; the two Russian men understood each other perfectly without much affection.

With nothing left to say, the group turned around and walked towards the airport securities, depositing their bags on the conveyor belt for the scanner. However, Janet stayed behind and stared at Kai lovingly.

Janet smiled faintly at Kai. "But you're coming back to Bakuten soon, right, Kai?"

"Of course," he smiled weakly back although he didn't sound too enthusiastic about it. "I just need to discuss a project with my mother."

"Does that project involve Namiko… and Forrest?"

"Hn," he replied ambivalently. Janet looked at him confusedly; she had never known him long enough to understand his grunts.

"Give me a call when you go back to Bakuten, all right?"

"Sure."

Shyly, Janet leaned towards Kai and her pretty little face approached his. Putting an arm on her back, Kai leaned into her too and kissed her on the lips. She smiled approvingly against his lips. The exchange was sweet, polite, mechanical, but included no passion at all. But she took no notice of it and instead wrapped her arms tighter around him, making him feel all the curves on her petite body. Her feet were getting tired from tiptoeing to reach Kai's height so she withdrew. "Bye, Kai."

Janet turned away with her cheeks still flushed. Her red and orange hair danced like fire when she scurried to the securities to catch up to her friends.

Kai looked at her figure in the distance as she and the group turned on a corner and disappeared from sight. "I doubt that it's goodbye yet." He was even unsure himself whether he was happy or not to admit that.

* * *

By the second day that the others left, Forrest was already exhausted to her bones. Every time she saw a bed, couch, or even a chair, she urged to lie on it and take a nap. There was no mistake: Ms. Black was a business tyrant, running her plans thoroughly and exhausting all her resources, human or not.

"I can't believe that I promised to stay," she grumbled to herself, "I thought that collaborating with her would be the best thing that would happen to me. Dad would be so happy. But damnit, this is not worth it. All for a pathetic national beyblade tournament."

Forrest stared ahead, at the multiple doors in the endless hallway that lead to conference rooms. There were so many of them. Somehow, they always ended up in the largest conference, reserved for Ms. Black and her various affairs. Usually, it was extremely quiet in the hallway but this time, several cries echoed. She peered stealthily through the crack between the luxurious double doors and saw a man's back obstructing her view.

"It's time, Kai! You're twenty-three! When I was twenty-three, I was pregnant with your brother. Why don't you understand the importance of—" A shrill voice rang.

_Ah_, Forrest thought while emitting a soft sigh, _Anna Black. I can recognize that commanding voice of hers anywhere. _She stared at the man's back again and slumped her shoulders. It was Kai, arguing with his mother again. Forrest groaned in frustration. _I do not want to deal with this…_

"This is the twenty-first century, mother! I do not want to marry anyone right now! When I find the right person, I will tell you! I can't believe that you'd even make a suggestion like that – Do you know anything about what's going on between us? Have you ever thought about me? Is it just because she's prosperous? Did you—"

Growing impatient, Forrest knocked softly on the door, immediately interrupting all the yelling in the conference room.

"Am I early?" she asked politely before entering.

"No, no. We are just carrying some family discussions over into business ones. Excuse us for the lack of professionalism," Ms. Black replied immediately. She paused for a second and flicked her eyes at Forrest's figure. "But… since you're here. Why don't we discuss it anyway? It is about that suggestion that I made several days ago."

"Suggestion?" Forrest asked rhetorically. Her eyes scanned from Ms. Black's commanding figure to Kai's repressed one. The Russian man seemed to be slouching due to his furiousness. "Oh, _that_." Forrest blushed profusely when she realized that Ms. Black was referring to the marriage proposal. "As Kai has clearly and loudly stated, that would be up to _us_. Do not expect anything, Ms. Black. Right, Kai?" Her stare wandered to Kai's face and saw him nod awkwardly.

"I am just considering your happiness. You see, Kai really loved your presence in the past. I do not see why he refuses now," Ms. Black suggested, shrugging although Kai knew that she was being completely serious.

"Unfortunately, I have to inform you that things change, Ms. Black," Forrest said calmly as the previous flush disappeared from her cheeks. Her composure contrasted with Kai's nervous one. He tapped his leather shoes in a distressed rhythm and stared at nothing in particular. "Besides, I have not consented to such an agreement."

Silence hung in the room. Wordlessly, the three professional businessman and businesswomen sat down in their corresponding chairs. Kai pulled out a folder from his briefcase, set it on the granite top table and began tapping his fingers impatiently.

"I was just trying to be a good mother, for once."

Immediately, Forrest's and Kai's heads snapped to the speaker. Anna Black's voice was so strange, so… soft. So motherly, caring, and everything that she was not known for. Forrest peered from under and noticed for the first time the sympathy and love that swam in Ms. Black's orbs. The feelings were faint but they were definitely present. _So, maybe she isn't a heartless bitch. She is a mother after all_, Forrest considered for a moment the possibilities_._ Ms. Black's hands traced over the patterns of the granite top softly, barely touching the cool surface. Her composure indicated her state, contemplative and almost regretful. Kai stared at her unbelievingly, wondering if she was pulling some kind of act yet again. But something was different about this… Kai had seen his mother act but never had she seem so sincere. He had never seen her like this, not even when he was a child. When he was young, Kai called out the butlers' names more than his own mother's. He was taught to withdraw his emotions while he was still in Voltaire's grasp and even when he was free, his mother was always on a business trip. _Maybe_, he thought, _she has finally realized her faults_.

"Son, your brother, Jake, is so happy with his wife," Ms. Black enunciated each word clearly, her face suddenly wrinkly, as if all the familial love burdened her. "Caeline and—"

"Caeline Hovk?" Forrest's surprised and suddenly anxious voice echoed slightly in the empty room.

"Yes," Ms. Black replied, utterly surprised that Forrest knew about Kai's brother's wife, "Caeline Hiwatari, Jake's wife. They are quite happily married."

Forrest's heart rate increased exponentially; she felt as if she had just run the mile in record time. Her hands sweated profusely and she began shaking in nervousness. "I—I didn't know that—How could I miss this?"

"Miss what?" This time, it was Kai who had spoken. He had never seen Forrest so utterly afraid in her whole life. Why did Caeline arise such an emotion? The two women had absolutely no connections with each other, or at least he believed.

"Caeline. Such an uncommon name. I'd recognize it anywhere. Excuse me," Forrest muttered the fragmented statements in one breath, so rapidly that neither of the Hiwataris caught her words. Rising rigidly from her seat, Forrest marched mechanically out of the room, as if she had forgotten how to walk properly. Her brain dictated every action and she was afraid that she would collapse before people who should never be allowed to see her in her desperation. These were businesspeople.

Back in the room, Ms. Black's expression, to Kai's surprise, remained the same although her eyes were widened a bit. "I'm not sure why she stormed off," the woman stared at the chair that Forrest left behind. Normally, the younger woman would realign the chair perfectly with the empty ones around the table. Ms. Black then averted her eyes to her son's concerned face and strangely, she smiled. "Why don't you go after her, Kai?" Before she even finished her sentence, her son stormed out of the room. To that, Ms. Black couldn't help but to smirk.

Half a second later, her commanding expression conquered her face again. She chuckled to herself, satisfied where this was all going.

In the still empty hallway, Kai ran in record speed towards the elevator. Just about when the doors left a sliver of space, he stuck his hand between them and made them reopen. Finding Forrest's distant and annoyed stare on his face, Kai gave a meek smile and entered the almost empty elevator. He leaned against the wall and collected himself as the drowning elevator music settled in his ear.

"May I join you, in whatever you're doing?" he asked very politely.

"You don't have to pretend to be so courteous, Kai," she retorted rather furiously, then her voice turned simply tight, controlled. "But I suppose that I won't mind some company."

Glancing sideways at her, Kai smiled to himself. Just a week ago, he had been chasing Janet down the stairs after Forrest's encouragements, but this time, he was finally chasing Forrest. This all felt so right. His heart was in the right place again yet he felt as if he was betraying Janet. He sighed, deep in reflection, hoping that he won't have to chase either of them again. He was so tired of running after women. For the first time in years, he agreed with his mother: it was time for him to settle, somewhere, and with someone dear to him.

"I really don't want to pry that much," Kai began, his eyes still closed, but he could hear her breaths quicken in nervousness, "but what's your connection with Caeline?"

She waited for a while before replying, as if it was difficult to say anything at all. "Let's have a beyblade battle," she finally managed to utter.

_I suppose that I can't decline that_, Kai thought as he merely complied. The elevator came to a stop and with a _ding_, the doors opened. He opened his eyes and came to the familiar sight of the roof. There was no luxurious carpet covering the floor, just cold hard cement. A closed metal door would lead to the outside, to the beyblading dishes. Forrest stepped out the elevator first and breathed the outside air as she opened the metal door, as if free from confinement.

"I don't know why but I find some comfort in beyblading," she murmured, as if talking to herself.

Kai smiled to himself, glad that they had something in common. "You always did. You were a great beyblader."

"But you were and are always better," she replied with a sad tone. "I simply couldn't succeed." She turned her head to examine him and then gave a half-smile.

"It isn't about succeeding, Forrest. It's about playing the game, having fun, making friends…," he began to list but realized that he never really did most of that. It was what Tyson would have said. "You used to beyblade like Tyson."

"Is that good or bad?" she asked in reply. "From what I know, he was the immature one."

"That's true," Kai couldn't help but smirk, reliving the memories, "but Tyson was stronger than I was. I was the best beyblader on the team on a regular basis. That's why Mr. Dickenson first made me the captain. But Tyson played sporadically better. He had his moments; he would outshine me a lot. His beyblading always linked to his emotions and his inconsistency made him a star."

"So I was like that?" Forrest contemplated. Memories flashed through her mind quickly. "Are you still like that, Kai? You keep speaking in past tense but have you changed?"

He didn't understand what led her to ask those questions. Frowning, he searched his mind for an answer but found none. "I haven't thought much about that."

"I think that you're different now, Kai. You've changed. You seem like a different person from those journals," she answered for him, to his surprise. She paused as she fondled the inner pockets of her suit jacket for her beyblade. "You were so cold before but now, I can't even imagine what that must have been like. You are so gentle and caring now."

"You taught me that." He watched the effects of his words take hold of her slowly. She stared at her beyblade, Starlet, in a confused expression and thinned her lips.

"I don't think that I have the energy for a beyblade battle anymore," she replied, changing the topic. "If I am as you say, connected to my emotions, I certainly wouldn't do well in a battle right now." He understood the implications so followed her away from the beyblade dish.

A comforting silence reigned between them. Forrest took a seat on a bench and gestured for Kai to join her. She sat with her legs extended and softly tapped a rhythm on the cement.

"You have the right to know," she began, "about my connection with Caeline. I owe it to you."

"Thank you?" He replied, unsure.

She gave him a warm smile back and returned to her pensive mood. "It's a long story."

"We have time," he nodded and boosted her confidence.

Relaxing into the hard bench as comfortably as possible, she began. "This was three years ago. It began when I met Gabriel Valdez, a pianist. I went to his concerts many times and I was really intrigued with his playing. And you know, pianists, good with their hands," she commented with light laughter. But seeing no humor in Kai's eyes, she returned to her story. "We fell in love. Fourteen months and ten days after I met him, he proposed to me, and I accepted. I was truly the happiest person on Earth."

Kai stared at her face, trying to read her expression, and only found a distant happiness. He analyzed the story and thought that it was more like a fairytale. _How did this Gabriel connect to Caeline?_ "Go on," he urged, although he really didn't want to hear more about their love.

Luckily, she spared him. "He was on his world tour and I accompanied him as I planned my business trips around his performances. We were in Russia at the time. We discussed many things: if he could keep touring and performing, where we would go for the honeymoon, who would pay the bills, what kind of house we would buy, and then somehow, we stumbled on the subject about my last name. I refused to change it to Valdez or Fan-Valdez, despite the traditions, because I was scared that it would redefine who I am. It would suppress my memories of my mother and cut our already faint relationship. The person that I love most was already dead and the only thing that I shared with her was my name. I was not ready to change that. I didn't want to explain all of it to Gabriel. I thought that he would take it badly; he would think that I didn't love him the most. But it was a different kind of love. So I gave him another excuse, saying that my father thought that changing my name would be bad for business. I'd have to build another reputation under my new name. It was only partially true: my dad did believe that, but I never really believed or cared much about it. It made Gabriel furious. He judged me heartless, too involved in the business world. He must have been in a bad mood that day, something about a mediocre performance, so he really erupted. We argued so much about such… trivial things."

By this point, Kai could see that Forrest's face was expressionless, so overwhelmed that she didn't know what emotions to show, but that didn't overcome his curiosity. He softly put his hand on her back and ran it up and down her spine, comforting her. She closed her eyes for a moment in short-lived bliss and then looked up to the sky.

"He stormed out of the hotel room and went to a bar. There, he met Caeline, who, I think, lived nearby and was taking a short break from her unsatisfactory marriage. The two connected, and I understand why; they were both in the same situation. After that, I am not sure what exactly happened. Gabriel must have offered Caeline a ride on some rented motorcycle. They only had one helmet and somehow Caeline wore it. He complained that a helmet would restrict his freedom –he always said things like that—but that was the most stupid thing he'd ever done. He was drunk. It was inevitable that he crashed and didn't survive. Caeline, however, escaped with permanent leg damage. She is bound to a wheelchair until her death."

After bringing the story to life in his mind, Kai could feel her pain. He felt her hatred for Caeline, her pain, and most of all, her guilt, crushing his senses and logic. "It's not your fault," he finally said. The love that he had for her was replaced with pity. If he had known the story, perhaps he would have never asked. It was so ironic; for these past two years, after the accident, he had been connected with her, yet he didn't know. Her love ran away with his brother's. It was just so… strange.

A much desired silence lingered between the two. Forrest regained her composure completely. It was in the past, her mind told her, and she would not let the past affect so gravely as it had done to Kai. "You are the first person whom I've told that to, except my family and Theresa," she finally broke the silence with casual words.

"Thank you, I suppose," he answered while his mind wandered elsewhere. He felt special yet at the same time, felt that he deserved to know this sooner. Forrest had known everything that happened to him—well, there wasn't much to know, but still—while he still felt that he had so much to discover. She was a completely different person and he just couldn't wrap his mind around _why _she had changed.

"So when are you going to invite Tyson?"

The question took him off guard. Her voice returned to a reserved and mechanical one, the one that she used to talk with his mother. He felt his heart pinch slightly and directed his gaze on her previously pained face, wondering if she had multi-personality disorder or something. "I will call Tyson tonight. He is still in America with Max so it'll be morning there." His voice, however, still retained his pity towards her.

"Are they like you too?"

"What?"

"Did we use to know each other?"

"You were quite fond of Max because he spoke perfect English, like you did. And you found some intelligence in Tyson that I never saw," he chuckled as he spoke about Tyson. So much had changed. Tyson had grown up and continual gregariousness earned him a lot more fans than Kai.

"Why is that?" Forrest asked.

"Hn," he paused in thoughts, searching for the right words to not insult his friend, "it always took him a bit longer to understand things. He always was a bit stubborn, but not stupid in any sense. His courage is quite remarkable, just like yours."

"Oh, really?" she asked rhetorically. "I suppose that I've changed more than he did then."

Kai stared at her figure distantly and then looked away.

"It really hurts me that I can't remember them. I see expectation in their eyes. Shayna, Janet, Aurora, Ray, Namiko, and even Tala... they all wanted to build a friendship with me but I had no foundations to start such a thing. Now I feel as if I _owe _them something, and it seems completely unfair to me. But I can't even imagine how it feels to be in their place. I hurt them, especially Aurora and Shayna but I didn't even—I mean, I'm not an evil person in nature. I just didn't expect them to be so damn _nice_ to me. It has been 5 years, you know. I thought that maybe they would have moved on, then I wouldn't have to deal with all this. I have new friends now and…" her voice trailed away into the silence as her eyes stared into the distance. She realized that Kai wasn't listening to her anymore but did not mind.

Her voice, although cherished in his mind, blurred into a string of incomprehensible words. It was a habit, really, to ignore Forrest's rambles. Kai knew that it was important in some essence but the fact that she was rambling as if she was an insecure teenager again warmed his heart.

He was not sure how it happened but a second later, Forrest ended up in his arms. It was a friendly embrace, one that meant absolutely nothing sentimental. She did smell nice though, he remarked while smiling. Forrest's body was small, but not fragile like Janet's. Some of her muscles from swimming all those years ago still managed to cling on her arms and legs. Despite her emotional state, she was still physically strong. Maybe that was why she could hide everything so well, he concluded. She was fit to be a businesswoman.

"They'll understand, Forrest," he whispered softly.

She welcomed the gesture and did not push him back. But after a minute in the position, she began to feel a strange tingling sensation. Without sly movements, she slid out of his arms and stepped back. Giving him a sincere smile, she thanked him. Her hand reached into her pocket and took out Starlet.

"I'll have a Beyblade battle with you later then."

"Of course, anytime is fine."

"Thanks, Kai."

He was unsure what she was thanking him for but it did not matter. He watched her walk gracefully back, balancing with skill in her high-heeled boots. When she reached the door, she turned around and paused for a second.

"Don't call me Forrest again," her voice was surprisingly cold.

"What—why?" confusion hit him. What caused her to say that all the sudden?

"You have this untarnished memory of Forrest and I want you to keep that. It's really a compliment to me that you once loved my past self. But I'm not Forrest anymore." She turned her head back towards the entrance into the building and opened the door. "I don't know _what_ you want, Kai. If you want me to regain my memories, you've succeeded already so don't hesitate to say goodbye to me. But if you want something more, you can't treat me like you would treat Forrest. If you want someone like Forrest again, you should deepen your relationship with Janet because she, not I, resembles Forrest."

"I—" he started but the heavy metal door banged as it was shut.

He pinched himself harshly to see if this was real and felt the pain sensors shoot to maximum intensity. Gritting his teeth, he stomped to the nearest beyblading dish and launched Dranzer into the dish with ferocity.

Both his hands curled into fists and he fell onto his knees. With all his strength, he punched the cement floor. The pain that soared through his body was nothing compared to what he felt in his heart. He glared at Dranzer although his anger was directed towards himself.

"I've been living in a fucking dream…"

* * *

**Author's Notes: **From now on, I'll try to update every month.

Now you know what has happened in Forrest's past. I'm sorry that it's so complicated. You probably fell asleep through the story but try to imagine how both of them would feel…

Yeah, I was a bit rough on Kai towards the end of this chapter but really, he's been way too optimistic.

I _love _writing Anna Black's character… is she evil or not? Mhmmm.

Spoilers: Next chapter will be set in Bakuten and I'll finally delve into one of my major side-stories. Someone has noticed before that all the relationships are so damn perfect except for Kai's and they were right. Perfection doesn't last. Jake and Caeline's marriage, which started in the prequel, is already broken. I wonder who comes next? Should be pretty obvious actually.

Please **review**. It's the only thing that keeps me going! (Seriously, one review for every 50 views is not comforting.)

And if you haven't already, read the prequel to this or you won't understand much!


	12. Memory 12: Distant

"I used to be love drunk, but now I'm hungover  
I love you forever, forever is over  
We used to kiss all night, now it's just a bar fight  
So don't call me crying, say hello then goodbye."

_-Love Drunk by Boys like Girls

* * *

_

**Silence of the Air**

**Memory 12: Distant**

_

* * *

_

He thought that calling her by another name would mean nothing but boy was he wrong. He hated to admit it but she was right: he was clinging on a vision of the past.

After procrastinating for a week, he finally decided to pull the right strings. As an ex-teammate, it was his role to call Tyson. Usually, he would be glad, and even excited, to hear an old friend's voice but that day, he felt as if anyone from his past would betray his sentiments.

It had been so long ago so he was certain that Tyson's old cell phone number stopped working. Besides, the popular world champion had to change his number every month or so to avoid the massive amount of calls from fans, new and old. There was, however, one person who he could always rely on to keep track of Tyson. They hadn't been friends for long but after Kai had left the Beyblading scene, Chase Misao had remained one of his few connections to the familiar world. Kai had faced Chase in the Beyblade arena numerous times after the Bladebreakers' first victory against Chase's team, Dreams of Eden and the two have become close friends. Kai definitely appreciated Chase's maturity and playfulness and the two's personalities were so closely matched that even Tala couldn't understand their inside jokes. But most important of all, Chase had a transforming bitbeast. Kai hated to admit it but understanding Chase's beyblading skills always brought him closer to what he remembered of Forrest.

"Kai?" a familiar and welcoming voice came from the other line of the phone.

"It is I, Mr. Misao," Kai replied, subtle humor in his voice.

"Alright, alright," Chase chuckled on the other line and then paused, switching to a more serious tone, "you only call me that when you're in trouble. What do you need? You're lucky that I am such a kind Vice President of BBA!"

"Bless you, bless you," Kai said, rolling his eyes, "I just need to know Tyson's schedule."

"What for?"

"I'm sure that you've heard about this year's national tournament, more specifically about where it's held," Kai paused, waiting for Chase to react.

"At the Black Pearl, I believe. What does that have to do with Tyson?"

"You see, my family owns the Black Pearl hotel and we're sponsoring and hosting the tournament this year and I'd definitely enjoy having Tyson as an honorary guest. But I first have his schedule through you, although I'm sure that he'll clear whatever unimportant things he has booked for this event. He has only been doing little commercials and charity events recently. I'm sure that he'll enjoy the glory of a tournament."

"Kai," Chase said with a serious tone, "you don't have to explain everything to me. I understand. I just wish that you wouldn't pull the business-Kai on me again. We're old friends."

"I—" he paused, running Chase's comments through his head and sighed. "You're right, buddy. I apologize. I've been in too many business meetings lately and all that talk is getting to my head."

"Alright, Kai. Take it easy. And if you have some time, come visit the BBA Headquarters. We all miss you and hey, here's an idea, why don't you all appear for the tournament? The whole Bladebreakers team, I mean. It'll be a real treat for all the rookies to see mature professionals battling. What do you say?"

Kai, pleased by Chase's plan, began calculating in his mind. It certainly wouldn't cost him anything to appear there. Max and Kenny certainly would come if Tyson did. And Ray was just around the corner in Bakuten. But then, he paused. What about Forrest? She was a part of the team too, even if it was for a few months. Laura had to attend the tournament due to her responsibilities as co-planner and co-sponsor but if she could join the team… it would be a sight to behold. The whole beyblading world thought that she had disappeared. She had been off the radar ever since the infamous battle with Aurora and there were even several news articles about her rumored whereabouts. He grinned.

"Hey, you still with me?" Chase asked on the other end of the line.

"You're a genius, Chase," Kai started, which earned a light chuckle from his friend. "It's great – we haven't seen each other for a while and it'd be nice. And hell, it'll make everyone happy, even my mother, since we'll sell more tickets if the whole team's there."

"Well, good for you Kai. I'm glad that everything's going so well with you. We all had our doubts about your whole business thing but you pulled through in the end. I'm sorry but I have to cut our conversation short. I have an important meeting in a few minutes. Hold on," Chase paused as he looked through his computer for Tyson's updated contact information and gave Kai the phone number. "Talk to you later."

"Bye Chase."

After putting the phone down, Kai finally took the time to recompose. Glancing in the mirror, he readjusted his tie and gave his reflection a half-smile, which disappeared when his mind cleared slightly. He looked at his blue beyblade sitting on his desk, a new model that Kenny gave him the last time the whole team met up, with Dranzer's image sitting on top. He sighed and remembered that four years ago, almost exactly a year after Forrest had left Bakuten, he fought the biggest match of his life against the one and only Brooklyn. And since that day, he hasn't fought an official match. Sure, there were quick training routines and fun fights within his team but he hasn't battled anyone in a stadium for four years. He remembered the pain, anger, and desperation that he felt during and after that match. But mixed in all that, there was a feeling of satisfaction.

His fingers traced the sharp edges of his beyblade as he pulled to readjust the sleeves of his expensive designer's dress shirt. I was so different from what he used to wear to battles… that blue outfit with the long white scarf. And those blue triangles that he painted on his faces! He chuckled as he remembered how he really wanted to tattoo them permanently on his face. Good thing he didn't let his teenage years leave such a mark on his adult life. However those good and fulfilling memories, they overpowered anything that he had done in the past four years in the real world.

He propped himself up from his seat in the lounge chair and peered outside. Everyone was gone so the suite was empty. It was dark outside and he was becoming rather sleepy. He checked the alarm clock on the nightstand, _19:31_.

Suddenly, someone knocked on his door. He sprung up from his position on his bed and wondered who it was. He looked through peephole and was semi-content that it was Laura standing on the other side of the door, looking well-dressed and refreshed. He opened the door slowly, thinking of what to say, but she made it easier for him.

"Why aren't you dressed?" she asked.

"What?" Confused.

"The party for all of the sponsors is happening right _now_. Remember?" she gave him a strange look, as if she didn't believe that he could forget something so big. "You need to go so that you can thank them. You can meet a lot of important people."

"I don't need to meet important people," he stated in a matter-of-fact voice. "If my mother got those sponsors, then I don't need to go there."

"Don't be stubborn. It's always good to meet people. You never know when you need connections," she replied as she pushed him into his room. Stepping into the room too, she scanned the suite and headed straight for the closet. There weren't a lot of clothes in there but luckily there was a set of nicely tailored suit. She took off the jacket off its hanger and forcefully directed Kai's arms into the sleeves.

"Why do you care if I go?" he asked, giving up.

"Because I'm your friend and you're too stupid to admit what's good for you."

"You don't need to help me. We're in a business association."

"Well, this is aside from business. You helped me understand my past, so I'm helping you improve your future," she looked up at him. She grabbed a tie lying on a lounge chair, adjusted it and wrapped it around his neck. She was dangerously close to him but he didn't feel funny for once – she was genuinely trying to get him dressed for a professional evening. "Here, double Windsor knot," she smiled proudly.

"… Thanks," he looked at his reflection in the mirror, then directed his eyes back to her, waiting for her next cue.

"Mhm, your pants look decent so let's go!"

He thought that he was ready for whatever the business world could throw at him but apparently university classes couldn't compare to real-life situations. He was back at the restaurant on the top level of the Black Pearl. It was decorated lavishly and filled with people dressed in clothes more expensive than some people's monthly salary. However, to his surprise, the majority of people weren't fake at all. They were genuine people, interesting in meeting people and discussing things about their lives. It was a party after all. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Namiko sitting in the corner, talking to a dark skinned man. She was probably the most modestly dressed person in the room but that didn't seem to matter. She blended in the atmosphere perfectly.

"Do you want me to get you a drink, Kai?" Laura asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. He saw her royal blue dress sway as she began to walk away.

"Sure, something strong and alcoholic," he replied by instinct. He _really _needed something to loosen him up.

"Oh, you better come with me to the bar then." She tugged him arm slightly and he followed her willingly.

At the bar, she introduced him a few associates that she brought in as part of the cooperation. They were American but even they looked more comfortable in this foreign land than he did. He smiled slightly and shook their hand firmly. One of the women complimented him on his accent-less English and he nodded in return.

"You're quite the ladies' favorite, huh?" Laura asked after the others left.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about," Kai replied.

"Monique _already _likes you," she chuckled, "although she is rather fast paced. A cougar that pounces on men like you, that is."

"Why would you call her a cougar?" he remarked.

"I guess that the term hasn't traveled here?" she paused, "it means that she's an older woman on the prowl for young studs like you to have head-banging sex."

He almost sprayed his drink out of his nose.

"Oh, come on, you are so tense." She put down her drink and sighed. "I know, let's dance."

"What?"

Before he could gather what was going on, Laura already managed to drag him onto the dance floor. He had to curse at himself for being such a puppet, being dragged around so much… And he definitely did not want to be there, especially with only three other women on the dance floor. Damn, he was the only there.

"Look at you pimping," Laura said as she smirked, barely visible in the semi-dark.

She put her arms loosely around his neck but didn't come any closer. They were at a comfortable distance. It was friendly, almost too friendly. He would've liked to bring his face closer to hers. She smiled intoxicatingly nice. But he couldn't bring himself to do anything except swaying slightly to the music, without moving his feet.

"You're a lousy dancer," she whispered with a smile.

"Hn." He was slightly uncomfortable but he had to admit that he did begin to loosen up. He let his feet move a little more and enjoyed the music a bit more.

As the second song ended, Laura let go of him and patted on his shoulder. "Now, go charm some women professionally and have fun."

He wasn't entirely sure how to do that but she reassured that he didn't have to do much – just agreeing with what they said would do it. He questioned her methods but it seemed to work on some women. He hated to admit it but Laura knew the rules of this society so much better than he did. He watched her from time to time throughout the night as she waltzed across groups of people.

What he couldn't notice, however, was the half-mischievous grin on his mother's face. She sat in the dark at a table, conversing with an old acquaintance. Who knew Kai and Laura's last night in Otaru would be so fruitful.

* * *

"Well, I'm sorry Ray, but it _is _my job!" a female screech, obviously angry. "Actually, I take that back – I am not sorry at all. You know that it's supposed to be like this. I mean, what did you expect?"

"That you would have a bit more self-respect! You don't need all that – you are a model, Aurora, no matter what. You don't need to be wearing _that_ to be famous! If that's the price then -" the man yelled in response.

"You just don't get it! It's not about being famous – it's my job!" she defended herself furiously.

"Then maybe you should get another job!"

"It's not that easy, Ray. It's not…"

"_I_ took the time and went to university. You can too. We can live as normal people. I never liked all this celebrity stuff; it really tears us apart."

There was a long pause, so long that it even scared Kai. Standing outside a familiar door, Kai wasn't expecting such a quarrel from the two famous lovebirds. He expected it had something to do with the billboard size advertisement of _Lust _perfume with a nearly naked and seductive-looking Aurora that he saw earlier in the middle of the city. It was hard to miss even if he had only been back in Tokyo for two hours.

"Maybe we are already torn apart," Aurora finally broke the silence.

"If that's what you think so. I cannot stop you." Kai had never heard such a disappointing tone coming from Ray.

"I think that it's best if we … just take a break. I'll take some time to figure out my career. Maybe your friends were right – we got married much too soon. We never thought anything through. A marriage isn't just about love, you know?"

"Perhaps you were always wiser than I was on that. I… I'll step out for a while, let you pack what you need. I… Just… Call me when you've found a place to stay, okay?" Ray mumbled as he approached the door. Knowingly, Kai stepped away from the door, where he was accidentally eavesdropping, and put on a surprised look on his face.

The door opened to reveal a Ray that Kai had never seen. The Chinese man didn't look like when he lost a Beyblade battle; he didn't look anguished – only completely blank, as if his soul had just been sucked out of him. Kai, who was never the type to comfort someone, was absolutely lost for words so he changed the topic.

"I was just stopping by to—" he started.

"Take me to a bar, will you?"

It was an understandable request that Kai couldn't refuse so the half-Russian man simply nodded and decided to save the "sorry" looks for later.

Shrouded by the dead silent atmosphere, Kai didn't bother to ask his ex-teammate where exactly he wanted to go. They simply the elevator down the decently luxurious apartment complex to the ground level and walked around the corner to Kai's car. Being the patriotic man that he is, Kai owned a Lexus, supporting his home country's economy. He opened the car's door, silently inviting Ray inside too and started the car.

Kai accelerated through the streets of Tokyo at an astounding speed considering how crowded the city always is. It wasn't hard at all to find a bar and by some weird draw of luck, it was a strip bar. Ray didn't seem to mind and Kai actually has been to the bar before for a business partner's bachelor party.

"Anything for you, handsome boys?" the bartender asked with a flirting tone.

"Gin and tonic," Ray muttered. The man's deep voice seeped with sorrow, so much that it always scared Kai, which was a difficult task.

"A Grey Goose and a lot of ice. Thanks." _Since Ray isn't going to be the wordy one today, I have to do the talking. Fuck, I was only here to inform him of the tournament –it should've only taken five minutes. I really should've just called him._ "Do you want to –"

"No. Maybe five drinks in." Ray cut in, reading Kai's mind.

To Kai's surprise, Ray eyed a petite stripper with interest. He had never seen the Chinese man really have an interest in anyone else than Aurora, and maybe Forrest for a few days. Ray was always a settled man, with no space left his brain for any other woman. Kai chuckled to himself. If Ray and Aurora were really broken off, then Ray would be on the market for the first time in _years_.

"You might like her, Kai," Ray said in an odd and humored tone. "She reminds me of Janet, except much more endowed in, you know, places."

A vein in Kai's forehead twitched. _Well, isn't this just the most awkward conversation ever_. In fact, he doesn't remember ever talking about girls with Ray before. They always had different tastes, excluding from Forrest. Ray preferred girls with grace and generosity while Kai liked the ones with sophistication and a positive attitude to counter his negative one.

"Weren't _you_ checking her out?" Kai replied almost mockingly. "I'm a taken man."

"By who? Janet? Or the one that's really lurking in your brain?"

"Don't start. I'm trying to be a good man. Morals, respect and all that shit. Can't love two women at the same time." Kai learned one thing about himself during the past several years: he was talkative when he was tipsy. There was something odd that day; maybe it was the mood, or maybe that he drank on an empty stomach, but the alcohol went straight to his head. He was supposed to be the responsible man as his friend was in emotional turmoil but it was so difficult.

"I've loved two women at the same time," Ray challenged, very seriously. He reached for his third drink and finished it quickly. "You're not going to like this…" he looked at his friend for a second but received no reply so decided to keep going, "but I actually loved Forrest. For three days or so, back then, I truly did, until Aurora showed up at my door. And I hate to admit that I still thought about her, even when Aurora was there. At first, I thought that maybe I just loved Forrest like a sister but truly, I would've pursued a relationship with her if Aurora or you weren't in the way."

"Hn." He disregarded Ray's speech as drunk-talk. _You can't love someone just for three days. It doesn't work like that_.

"Don't grunt at me Kai, damnit. I knew that I'd upset you by saying all this but it just came out. Sorry, man," Ray glanced at his friend and shook his head. "Yo, another round!" he called to the bartender to fill the silence.

Kai stared at his fourth drink for five seconds before chugging it down. The smooth liquid burned as it went down his throat, leaving a warm feeling of satisfaction. Ray's words hit a new low, so low that Kai began to disrespect his friend as a human being. But then he felt like a hypocrite because he was doing exactly the same thing, except that he wasn't admitting it. Ray was the better man after all. It was so pitiful to watch him fall from his idealistic marriage.

He's not sure what brought him to do it, but he reached for his wallet, dug out two thousand yens and called a stripper over to give Ray a lap dance.

A Japanese girl with purple hair and brown eyes, accented by layers and layers of eyeliner and mascara, came over. She gave a coy greeting before advancing slowly to Ray as she took Kai's money and slipped it under her corset. She slid her right hand to Ray's face, her index finger sliding from his forehead to his lips, then put used her left hand to grip on his pants.

Ray smiled at her and wasn't sure where exactly to look while she moved seductively on his lap. He enjoyed the act as much as he could in his condition. _That Kai… Well, she definitely has a nice figure_. He didn't want to admit it but this was probably the only thing that could've distracted him. "Thank you, gorgeous," he whispered in her ear before her body stretched up so that his nose landed between her breasts. Then she leaned down again, teasingly.

"Thank your friend," she replied before sliding off his lap and regaining her composure. She tugged on her corset, flashed both men a big smile, and strutted off to the center sage.

"Well, she was nice," Ray finally said after ordering their fifth round. He lifted the full glass and swirled the ice and lime slowly before sighing. "I should talk now."

"You don't have to," Kai shrugged. By that time, he didn't care much anymore and wasn't sure if he had enough brain cells left to empathize with the man.

"I said I would… We fought about that billboard at the city square. I'm sure that you've seen it," Ray continued, "now I'm sure that she _was _naked during the shoot. It's impossible otherwise. Do you see what's covering her body? Fucking clouds. _Clouds_, for fuck's sake. Clouds!" His voice grew louder and louder. "It's a fucking perfume commercial. Why the fuck isn't she wearing anything? And you know when I asked her, she said that she thought it was a good idea! You know what that means? That she's a slut! She enjoys it – it's like these girls in here," he gestured the strippers with his arm. "She is supposed to be better than them. But now, now she's just an attention-loving slut."

"Ray, shut up." And he did. Really, Kai had enough. He would've never expected himself to defend Aurora but this was getting just plain _stupid_. "It's her career. She wasn't throwing herself at anyone. She's faithful and she only cares about you."

"No," Ray took a shot of vodka, "I'm sure that you heard us talking," he eyed Kai and sighed. "Apparently she cares about her career more."

Kai followed his friend and downed his own shot of vodka. The Russian liquor went down smoothly but the aftertaste wasn't so great. Kai developed a high tolerance for alcohol after all these years of drinking socially but he was far from being an alcoholic. It just meant that he was often stuck with taking care of drunk friends, like Ray. He enjoyed it because it gave him a sense of responsibility, as if he was constantly needed. But at times, it became rather burdensome, like he never had the right to just get completely wasted. He looked at Ray's miserable state and thought, with difficulty, of something reassuring to say.

"Maybe she's just weighing on the fact that you'll always be waiting for her. But her career won't wait. We all know that beauty doesn't last past a certain age," Kai argued logically.

"I suppose you're right," the Chinese man wiped his forehead of some sweat. "You're always right Kai." He paused and placed his palm on his heart in a dramatic gesture. "At least Aurora still believes in our love. Our everlasting love. All I have to do is just wait for her. Our love will definitely outlast her career," he chuckled to himself, "not that I want her to fail her career."

Kai patted his friend on his back and smiled. Ray Kon was back to himself, the pensive and loyal friend.

"Are you thinking clearly now?" Kai asked while he twirled his cup of scotch in his hand and wondered how he even got the cup because he didn't remember ordering it.

"Yes, much more clearly, thanks to you, my friend," the tipsy Chinese man replied.

There was a long pause in their conversation. Kai looked at his watch and sighed. It was only 7 PM and he had some important things to say to Ray that he couldn't quite remember. He thought to himself and counted the drinks that he had. Two gin and tonic's, a vodka and a scotch. He groaned to himself as he thought about the bad mixture. _Damn, I still have to drive_. At that, he shoved the vodka that he just ordered to the side and watched Ray down it without a second thought. He ordered three bottles of water, two for himself and one for Ray, hoping that they'll help with sobering up. Ray stared at the water and shook his head feverishly, like a child refusing to take medicine.

"I really want to get wasted tonight. Let's go to Tala's place. We can listen to some good music and relax too. I kind of miss the bunch now."

Kai put his palm on his forehead, feeling heat emanating from his body. "I can't drive like this. We can call a cab."

Kai pushed himself up and paid his tab. _This is one the rare times when I wish that I didn't have close friends_. He thought of his agenda the next day and it didn't look pretty. There was so much left to do…

* * *

**Author's Notes: **So it's been… two years? Damn, where did the time go? I'm sorry you guys. It's funny how I promised to update every month in the last chapter and failed more miserably than before. Whoever is still out there reading this, thank you sooo much for sticking with me!

The first part of this chapter was kind of a filler. I had an idea to write out a dance scene between Laura and Kai but got lazy… but the important part, Ray's broken marriage worked out J As more relationships form, some just break. I don't know about you but I don't buy unrealistic marriages.

Please leave a review. I'll try to crank out the next chapter. It won't take two years this time, heh.


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